H.Res. 679 — Introduced in House

IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 679 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 22, 2014 Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself, Mr. Coffman, Mr. Ellison, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Enyart, and Mr. Wolf) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Condemning the Ukrainian separatists illegally occupying the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, and the surrounding territory, as terrorists for shooting down a civilian passenger airliner, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, and condemning the Government of the Russian Federation for supplying the arms. Whereas the city of Donetsk, and the surrounding area, are recognized by the United States as being under the jurisdiction of the Government of Ukraine; Whereas the city is occupied by a militant group wishing autonomy from the Government of Ukraine; Whereas this entity, calling itself the Donetsk People’s Republic, is not recognized as being autonomous by any sovereign nation; Whereas the United States believes actions made by the separatists in Donetsk are efforts by the Russian Federation to destabilize the Ukraine; Whereas the United States-Ukraine ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt characterized the separatists in Donetsk as terrorists; Whereas Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by a SA–11 Gadfly within the surrounding area of Donetsk; Whereas the act of targeting, engaging, and destroying a passenger airline of non-combatants is considered an act of terror; Whereas the SA–11 Gadfly is a Russian made Buk surface-to-air missile system; and Whereas producing weapons to a terrorist organization is considered by the international community as state-sponsored terrorism: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the Ukrainian separatists illegally occupying the Ukrainian city of Donetsk and the surrounding territory, as terrorists for shooting down a civilian passenger airliner, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, and condemning the Government of the Russian Federation for supplying the arms; (2) calls on the Ukrainian separatists of Donetsk to disband and relinquish rightful control of the city of Donetsk and the surrounding area to the Government of Ukraine; (3) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to immediately desist attempts to undermine the Government of Ukraine and to cease the arming of all militaristic and terroristic groups; (4) calls on the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with responsible nations, to immediately condemn the Ukrainian separatists of Donetsk for shooting down a civilian passenger airliner and the Russian Federation for supplying the arms; and (5) urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize all available means to compel the Government of the Russian Federation to withdraw all support from all militaristic and terroristic groups whose goal is to undermine the Government of Ukraine.