Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), unanimously passed bipartisan measures to support the people of Ukraine and to combat growing anti-Semitism.

A summary of Committee action, including adopted amendments, will be available HERE.

The Committee passed H. Res. 348 (introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI)), as amended, which expresses support for the right of the Ukrainian people to freely elect their government and determine their future.

On passage of H. Res. 348, Chairman Royce said: “The elections in Ukraine on October 25th are a crucial step toward peace in that war-torn country.  The U.S. has a strong interest in the establishment of a stable and democratic government that can continue to implement much-needed reforms.  Unfortunately, the separatists in eastern Ukraine refuse to recognize the authority of the government or allow international election monitors into the areas they control, making free and fair elections there impossible. The U.S. and our allies must ratchet up the pressure on Russian President Putin, including more aggressively applying sanctions on key members of his inner circle, to end the separatists’ rebellion against the Ukrainian government and work to establish peace and prosperity for all of the Ukrainian people.”

The Committee also passed H. Res. 354 (introduced by Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ)), as amended, which encourages European countries to protect the security of their Jewish populations in the face of rising anti-Semitism.

On passage of H. Res. 354, Chairman Royce said: “As the attacks in Copenhagen and Paris made clear, Jews across Europe — and throughout the world — are facing an alarming increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence, including in their synagogues and on the streets. European governments must take commonsense steps to protect their Jewish communities from the increasing hatred they face every day.  Today’s resolution also encourages European nations to improve communication amongst themselves as well as with the United States, to analyze trends in anti-Semitic crimes, and to share best practices in combating extremism."

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