Rep. Costa Leads Moment of Silence on House Floor to Remember Victims in Bucha and Across Ukraine

WASHINGTON- Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) led a moment of silence on the House floor to honor the innocent civilians brutally killed by Russian forces in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. In recent days, the international community has been shocked to see photos and videos of hundreds of innocent civilians who were killed by Russian soldiers in the town northwest of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Rep. Costa's remarks can be viewed by clicking on the video link below.

Rep. Costa also voted for H.R. 7276- Ukraine Invasion War Crimes Deterrence and Accountability Act, which passed the House. The legislation authorizes the United States to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. The bill requires the President to report to Congress on atrocities committed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including:

• Describing the United States' effort to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to war crimes during the invasion
• Describing media, public diplomacy, and information operations to make the Russian people, military, and political leaders aware of efforts to identify and prosecute those responsible for such war crimes
• Outlining the process for a domestic, foreign, or international court to obtain information from the U.S. government related to investigation of alleged war crimes.

Rep. Costa also released the following statement in response to the atrocities seen in Bucha:

"It is heartbreaking to see the bodies of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians lining the streets in areas that have been laid to waste by Vladimir Putin's military. Putin and his regime have cemented themselves as a force of evil. This slaughter of innocent men, women, and children is deplorable to the core, and is further isolating Russia from the rest of the world. The United States and our allies must continue to stand up to Putin and tighten sanctions to cripple Russia's economy, including ending the import of Russian fossil fuels globally. We must also work with our allies to continue to arm Ukraine so it can defend itself. The international community must remain vigilant and stand with Ukraine in every way possible, otherwise Putin will not stop. The future of Europe and our global security is at stake."

Rep. Costa sits on the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and is in communication with Members of the European Parliament as co-chair of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue.

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