Untitled Document

[00:00:28] e [00:00:58] e [00:01:28] e [00:01:58] e [00:02:28] e [00:02:58] e [00:03:28] e [00:03:58] e [00:04:28] e [00:04:58] e [00:05:28] e [00:05:58] e [00:06:28] e e [00:07:14] proud to stand here with my friend and [00:07:18] colleague Lindsey [00:07:20] Graham uh I'm tempted to say uh as the [00:07:25] trial lawyer that I once was [00:07:28] and in some ways hope to be again in the [00:07:32] United States Senate uh exhibit [00:07:35] a I rest my case yeah there you go two [00:07:40] of the [00:07:42] most autocratic atrocity committing [00:07:46] leaders in the world standing [00:07:50] together [00:07:51] terrorists [00:07:55] sponsors this picture says it all [00:08:01] Russia deserves to be in fact it's [00:08:04] deeply [00:08:06] earned the designation to be a state [00:08:09] sponsor of [00:08:10] terrorism and so far as the Practical [00:08:13] consequences are concerned [00:08:16] yes sanctions would be [00:08:19] strengthened and yes there would be [00:08:22] practical consequences but in my [00:08:25] view this message to the world is as [00:08:29] important in a [00:08:31] moral sense as any practical consequence [00:08:35] Russia deserves to be in this small [00:08:40] selective [00:08:42] Club of atrocity committing [00:08:48] killers and Russia deserves to be [00:08:51] designated as a state sponsor of [00:08:52] terrorism so uh we're going to pursue [00:08:56] this [00:08:57] fight it is bipartisan we have other [00:09:01] supporters and uh it is a priority for [00:09:05] me having [00:09:07] seen in very personal ways what Russia [00:09:10] has done in Ukraine we visited in buah [00:09:14] the site of the mass Graves women [00:09:18] children hands tied behind their back [00:09:21] shot in the [00:09:23] head we have talked to prosecutors about [00:09:27] Russia kidnapping children and [00:09:29] indoctrinating them in Russia taking [00:09:32] them away from their loved ones and [00:09:34] parents we have seen [00:09:38] firsthand the kind of terrorism that [00:09:42] Russia has committed and sponsored [00:09:45] around the world and I believe that the [00:09:48] United States Senate has to take a [00:09:51] sand thank you um well if I own the jury [00:09:54] guilty you did a good job so uh bottom [00:09:57] line here this is a moment in history um [00:10:01] that will be [00:10:03] viewed decades to follow as [00:10:07] consequential what do you have to do to [00:10:09] become a state sponsor of [00:10:11] terrorism people are falling out of [00:10:14] Windows right and left uh Putin has been [00:10:17] involved with the Vagner Group which is [00:10:19] an extension of the state dismembering [00:10:23] Africa naval's death was beyond strange [00:10:27] every form of opposition has been [00:10:29] crushed in Russia they use the benefits [00:10:32] of the Russian state to support [00:10:34] terrorism through the Vagner group and [00:10:36] other [00:10:37] entities now Putin has entered into a [00:10:41] defense agreement with one of the most [00:10:44] notorious terrorist states on the [00:10:47] planet we have lost [00:10:49] deterrence the fact that he would be [00:10:51] bold enough to do a defense agreement [00:10:53] with North Korea as Senator blumthal [00:10:56] said one of the most oppressive Reg on [00:10:59] the planet means we have lost deterrence [00:11:02] what would it matter if we designated [00:11:04] Putin's Russia State sponsor of [00:11:06] terrorism it would be a morale boost to [00:11:08] the people of [00:11:09] Ukraine it would make Russia even more [00:11:13] of a pariah state that if you wanted to [00:11:15] do business with Russia after we make [00:11:18] them a state sponsor of terrorism you do [00:11:20] so at your own per own Peril it would [00:11:23] allow victims of Putin's barbaric [00:11:25] Behavior to access American courts [00:11:28] through the this designation to my [00:11:31] friends at the administration I've been [00:11:32] working with you on Saudi and Israel I [00:11:34] will continue to work with you on [00:11:36] normalization between Saudi Arabia and [00:11:38] Israel it's a big deal but if you worry [00:11:41] about being too provocative regarding [00:11:42] Russia stop [00:11:44] worrying stop worrying you're not too [00:11:47] provocative we need to up our game when [00:11:49] it comes to Russia and the last really [00:11:53] tool in the toolbox that we can use is a [00:11:57] designation of making Russia a state [00:11:59] sponsor of terrorism I think there are [00:12:01] only seven nations in the world that [00:12:03] have this designation and it does matter [00:12:06] it matters a lot so I would urge uh [00:12:10] Senate leadership to bring this bill to [00:12:13] the floor for a vote we've made Cuba [00:12:15] State sponsor of terrorism we've engaged [00:12:17] with Cuba it doesn't mean you can't [00:12:19] engage it just means that they wear a [00:12:21] label welld deserved Syria Iran Cuba [00:12:25] North Korea and now Russia so I just end [00:12:28] with this of all the people I've worked [00:12:30] with on National Security Senator [00:12:33] blumthal has been very [00:12:35] consistent he's a proud Democrat but [00:12:37] when it comes to standing up for [00:12:39] democracy when it comes to standing up [00:12:40] to thugs he's really Second To None I [00:12:43] have a pending arrest warrant in [00:12:46] Russia I don't know how they missed you [00:12:48] you make me look like a choir boy so the [00:12:51] bottom line is we're not giving up we're [00:12:53] going to insist on a vote the best thing [00:12:55] we could do I think to shape the future [00:12:59] is to label Putin a terrorist leader [00:13:02] because he is this would have enormous [00:13:04] benefit in Ukraine I think so I look [00:13:07] forward to being able to have a vote on [00:13:09] her bill and and I want to just say uh [00:13:13] about Senator Graham he's not only been [00:13:15] consistent he's been passionate and [00:13:18] inspiring uh in a way that John McCain [00:13:22] was consistent and inspiring I often [00:13:25] think of John McCain at this moment and [00:13:28] what he would think about a bipartisan [00:13:30] partnership on this issue and for [00:13:32] everybody in this [00:13:34] room think about what Russia has done to [00:13:39] its [00:13:40] journalists if there were no other [00:13:44] reason to cite the [00:13:47] persecution of American [00:13:50] journalists and journalists worldwide by [00:13:53] Vladimir Putin and the Russian [00:13:56] state that would be my exhibit B yeah [00:13:59] exhibit a is the partnership between Kim [00:14:03] and [00:14:04] Putin marching literally together their [00:14:10] country signing a military [00:14:13] partnership hostile to the United States [00:14:16] hostile to peace and liberty and justice [00:14:19] around the world you know um it's time [00:14:23] for the Senate to take this stand amen [00:14:25] any [00:14:27] question yep um senat have you spoken [00:14:32] with the uh the V Administration about [00:14:34] this um work with some of the the texter [00:14:37] anything like that I know the Tik Tok [00:14:39] bill for example the way the house [00:14:41] worked that out that was successful [00:14:43] because they worked years down the you [00:14:46] the administra oning this I've talked to [00:14:48] the administration about this resolution [00:14:52] they are certainly sympathetic to the [00:14:54] goals we've worked on some specifics [00:14:57] we're going to continue to work with [00:14:59] with them but I think it's time now for [00:15:02] us to move forward and they understand [00:15:05] that we may have differences of approach [00:15:07] or opinion and I think they respect us [00:15:10] for what we're trying to do if I could [00:15:12] just add you he's work with the state [00:15:15] department I work with the state [00:15:16] department we're not trying I don't [00:15:18] think we're being [00:15:19] provocative by labeling Putin a state [00:15:21] sponsor of terrorism I think we're being [00:15:23] rational I think the designation is [00:15:25] earned and would matter but after the [00:15:30] defense agreement between North Korea [00:15:32] and Russia it is time for us to push [00:15:35] back now is the moment above all other [00:15:38] moments so I would urge the [00:15:40] administration given what Putin has done [00:15:43] yesterday let's go all in and [00:15:46] designating his regime for what it is a [00:15:49] state sponsor of terrorism here's a [00:15:51] general rule anybody that does a defense [00:15:53] agreement with North Korea should be a [00:15:56] state sponsor of terrorism have you guys [00:15:58] heard that this might be [00:16:01] provocative [00:16:03] no two questions for both of you uh [00:16:05] first will you try to bring this up aous [00:16:07] consent if you can't get leadership to [00:16:09] promise a vote and second are you both [00:16:11] attending nyah's address next [00:16:14] month I will be at uh netanyahu's [00:16:18] address and I think [00:16:21] we would be prepared to seek unanimous [00:16:24] consent but our preference would be to [00:16:29] move [00:16:30] forward in regular order and give the [00:16:33] Senate a chance to vote on it as a whole [00:16:36] My Hope Is that time would permit it but [00:16:39] I think there is an urgency here that [00:16:41] might prompt us to see unanimous consent [00:16:45] what he [00:16:48] say yeah thank You Are there specific [00:16:51] sanctions that would kick in with this [00:16:53] designation that are not currently in [00:16:55] place right now and second question is [00:16:57] wi Putin in North say that he supports [00:17:00] North Korea's ability to enhance their [00:17:02] own defense capabilities did you take [00:17:05] that as an explicit endorsement of their [00:17:09] nuclear uh I [00:17:12] think it is an endorsement of their [00:17:15] nuclear [00:17:16] program uh I will tell you you know [00:17:19] again I don't want to hold up the [00:17:20] picture for a third time but uh this [00:17:24] this photograph is not just outrageous [00:17:29] it is deeply [00:17:32] scary because it [00:17:34] signals cooperation not only against [00:17:38] Ukraine but against the United [00:17:40] States I don't even need to go into the [00:17:43] classified briefings that we've received [00:17:46] to tell you how [00:17:48] frightening the idea is that Russia [00:17:51] would be lending its nuclear expertise [00:17:54] to North [00:17:56] Korea remember Russia [00:17:59] for years and years [00:18:02] opposed North Korea getting exactly this [00:18:06] kind of capacity nuclear capacity [00:18:09] because it it was so frightened of what [00:18:12] this madman might do so I interpret it [00:18:18] as an [00:18:19] endorsement and uh that is one of the [00:18:22] reasons why I think we need to use every [00:18:25] tool available and uh if nothing else [00:18:28] let me just tell you uh what one [00:18:32] practical consequence would be uh [00:18:35] Russia's sovereign immunity in our [00:18:37] courts would be severely restricted and [00:18:40] curtailed as a state sponsor of [00:18:42] terrorism there would also be [00:18:44] consequences for sanctions [00:18:46] enforcement uh and and other [00:18:52] results Senator Grand question for you [00:18:54] have you had any conversations with uh [00:18:56] former president Trump without [00:18:57] supporting this uh no I haven't I've [00:18:59] been trying to get U get the bill put [00:19:01] together um be a good question to ask [00:19:04] him uh bottom line just what senat [00:19:08] bluthal said not only are they in a [00:19:10] defense agreement with North Korea they [00:19:12] may be providing nuclear expertise to [00:19:16] North Korea to increase their nuclear [00:19:19] Arsenal now if that doesn't get you to [00:19:21] being a state sponsor of terrorism what [00:19:23] would increasing the nuclear capability [00:19:27] of somebody already on on the state [00:19:29] sponsor of terrorism list should just be [00:19:32] an automatic inclusion of the country in [00:19:35] question so as to unanimous consent I'd [00:19:38] like the committee to have a first shot [00:19:40] at this but to me this is one of the [00:19:42] most important [00:19:44] decisions our generation of politicians [00:19:47] will make because if we made Russia [00:19:49] State sponsor terrorism it would change [00:19:52] the momentum in Ukraine overnight it [00:19:55] would be a morale boost to the [00:19:56] ukrainians it would make it hard for [00:19:58] anybody to do business with Russia and [00:20:00] it would further isolate this regime my [00:20:03] hope is the Russian people one day will [00:20:04] be free of Putin and his cronies they're [00:20:07] suffering as much as anyone you haven't [00:20:10] asked me but I haven't been in touch [00:20:11] with former president Trump [00:20:13] either let him go yeah um talking about [00:20:17] Ukraine and European allies they would [00:20:19] not have any questions on the language [00:20:21] for sure but they would have question on [00:20:22] when uh it could be possibly brought in [00:20:24] the floor do you have any ideas from of [00:20:26] timing and the second question Ukraine [00:20:29] also right now calling for [00:20:30] administration to Le all the [00:20:32] restrictions to use American longrange [00:20:35] missiles attacks in particular and at [00:20:37] the house there were a lot of uh efforts [00:20:39] to call on Administration to do that [00:20:42] with you support to leave all the [00:20:44] Restriction Army toer [00:20:47] Long well I'll give you my view [00:20:51] um which is uh I strongly support this [00:20:55] resolution as you've gathered from [00:20:59] the passion that we've sought to [00:21:02] communicate here but it's no substitute [00:21:04] for continuing Military Support to [00:21:07] Ukraine it's no substitute for long [00:21:09] range artillery [00:21:11] attacks and air defense in very [00:21:15] practical strategic terms we need to [00:21:18] heighten our military support during [00:21:20] this absolutely critical time for [00:21:23] Ukraine as it seeks to defend itself [00:21:25] against a Russian counter offensive and [00:21:29] prepare for its [00:21:31] own military action hopefully early in [00:21:36] 2025 [00:21:38] and we should permit very [00:21:42] explicitly Ukraine to attack [00:21:47] Targets in Russian control territory [00:21:50] that may be behind the lines I've [00:21:52] endorsed for some [00:21:54] time the authority that Ukraine needs to [00:21:58] attack Russian command centers Supply [00:22:02] Depots just as they are attacking [00:22:05] infrastructure in Ukraine and we need to [00:22:08] give Ukraine that Authority for longer [00:22:11] range targets I think sen Blasco real we [00:22:14] take one more question but to answer [00:22:16] we're trying to open up another front [00:22:18] what have we learned Putin could care [00:22:20] less about how many Russians die in his [00:22:23] misadventure you could just kill young [00:22:25] Russians um in perpetuity I don't think [00:22:27] it changes the beh Behavior but Intel [00:22:30] tells us that he does care about his [00:22:32] money and his ill gotten gain the repo [00:22:35] act where we're going after Sovereign [00:22:37] wealth assets of Russia to try to seize [00:22:40] them to help the victim of Ukraine is [00:22:43] having an effect this would open up yet [00:22:45] another front if we made Russia State [00:22:48] sponsor of terrorism it opens them up to [00:22:50] litigation in American courts it makes [00:22:52] it harder for anybody to help him to me [00:22:55] this summer and fall should be about [00:22:58] more [00:22:59] more military capability and it should [00:23:01] be also about more U aggressive action [00:23:05] toward their economy and the way they do [00:23:07] business in Russia take one more [00:23:09] question [00:23:14] um like you see any ideas when take [00:23:17] months [00:23:20] or you know uh I think predictions on [00:23:24] time are pretty hazardous around the [00:23:25] United States Senate uh I'm not going to [00:23:28] make a prediction but sooner rather than [00:23:31] later we'll do our best right it way [00:23:33] yeah this be the last question you got [00:23:34] to go right [00:23:39] yeah that's not the subject of the [00:23:41] debate [00:23:42] today one more yeah have you guys spoken [00:23:45] with your colleagues in the house to [00:23:47] make sure that this bill does make it to [00:23:49] the president's uh desk [00:23:51] passes you know I I would be the last [00:23:54] person in the world to say I've done a [00:23:56] kind of scientific poll among members of [00:23:59] the house but I can tell you there'd be [00:24:01] very strong bipartisan support we just [00:24:04] went on a trip to [00:24:06] Normandy profoundly [00:24:09] moving I led a delegation of about 20 [00:24:12] senators and Senator Graham and I were [00:24:15] there um I will tell [00:24:20] you I was moved by the [00:24:24] speeches I was affected profoundly by [00:24:28] talking to those [00:24:29] veterans they're 100 years old now they [00:24:32] live through [00:24:34] D-Day and walking the beach in [00:24:39] Normandy Omaha Beach where those [00:24:42] soldiers landed in 8 ft of water and [00:24:46] then had to cross three football fields [00:24:51] flat no [00:24:52] cover when they were under a hail [00:24:56] of mortars and machine guns that kind of [00:25:00] Courage was a moment in time we need to [00:25:04] have the same kind of Courage here and I [00:25:07] talked to members of the House who also [00:25:09] went to Normandy for that trip if we can [00:25:13] summon the courage of that kind of [00:25:17] moment [00:25:19] for this resolution but as Senator [00:25:22] Graham said so well for countering [00:25:26] Russia as it imperils democracy now just [00:25:29] as Hitler did [00:25:32] then we will pass this resolution but we [00:25:34] will do more this resolution is no [00:25:37] substitute for right Caesar of Ashes [00:25:40] it's no substitute for providing arms [00:25:42] it's no substitute for the United States [00:25:46] galvanizing the world against North [00:25:50] Korea Russia [00:25:52] Iran democracy is under siege and it's [00:25:56] all and this is [00:25:58] not just words on a piece of paper this [00:26:01] is a statement of moral intent and we'll [00:26:03] wrap it up with this just to imagine for [00:26:05] a [00:26:06] moment if you voted against this [00:26:09] resolution if you had a chance to vote [00:26:11] look what you'd be [00:26:14] endorsing you would be saying well [00:26:17] that's not [00:26:18] enough the dismembering of a Sovereign [00:26:22] Nation the mass rape of women the [00:26:25] kidnapping of children providing new [00:26:28] nuclear capability to North Korea for [00:26:31] God's sake uh the dismemberment of uh [00:26:35] countries in [00:26:36] Africa on and on and on so I know uh [00:26:41] representative McCall is very interested [00:26:44] in this but I would say to any member of [00:26:47] the House and the Senate if you give [00:26:51] Russia a pass here given all Putin has [00:26:54] done then we've lost deterrence if this [00:26:58] is is not enough I mean as of yesterday [00:27:01] if there was any doubt about who Putin [00:27:04] is in terms of a terrorist State he just [00:27:06] entered into a defense agreement with [00:27:08] North Korea for God's sake and pledging [00:27:11] to help their nuclear [00:27:13] program if you can forgive all that then [00:27:16] you will shine in history all the wrong [00:27:18] ways if you could go back in time and [00:27:21] learn from the mistakes of the 30s where [00:27:24] people apologized and wrote off Hitler's [00:27:27] just warning and not that not [00:27:29] understanding who they were dealing with [00:27:31] they do not age well those decisions [00:27:34] back in the 30s I'm telling you right [00:27:36] now if you let Putin get away with this [00:27:38] latest [00:27:40] misadventure you will not age well in [00:27:42] history thank you thank you all you guys [00:27:45] about theace