,,iii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ega ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #aj1 #bjah ,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,portman1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,toomey1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,isakson1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 and ,mr4 ,brown7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,condemning the ongoing illegal occupation of ,crimea by the ,russian ,federation4 ,whereas1 in ,february #bjad1 unidentified ,russian armed forces entered ,ukrainian territory and took control of key military and government infrastructure in the ,crimean peninsula of ,ukraine2 ,whereas1 in ,march #bjad1 the parliament of the ,russian ,federation gave rubber-stamp approval to ,president ,vladimir ,putin's request to use military force against ,ukrainian territory ostensibly because of the threat of violence from ultranationalists2 ,whereas1 on ,march #bg1 #bjad1 the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly adopted ,resolution #fh_/bfb calling on states and international organizations not to recognize any change in ,crimea's status and affirmed the commitment of the ,united ,nations to recognize ,crimea as part of ,ukraine2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation's illegal invasion and annexation of ,crimea has been widely seen as an effort to stifle the spread of pro-democracy developments across ,ukraine in #bjad in the wake of the ,euromaidan protests2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation is a signatory to the #aiid ,budapest ,memorandum and thus committed to respect the independence1 sovereignty1 and borders of ,ukraine and to refrain from threats1 coercive economic actions1 or the use of force against ,ukraine's territorial integrity and political independence2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation committed in the #aige ,final ,act of the ,conference for ,security and ,cooperation in ,europe 7,helsinki ,final ,act7 to respect the sovereign equality and territorial integrity of other participating ,states2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation's obligations under the ,charter of the ,united ,nations prohibit the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of other states2 ,whereas the ,russian ,federation's ongoing illegal occupation of ,crimea in ,ukraine have been widely condemned by the international community as illegal acts2 ,whereas the ,united ,states and ,european ,union have imposed sanctions on individuals and entities who have enabled the illegal invasion1 annexation1 and occupation of ,crimea2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state has stated in its ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices that security services and local authorities in ,crimea installed by the ,government of the ,russian ,federation have worked to consolidate control over ,crimea and continued to restrict human rights by imposing repressive ,federal laws of the ,russian ,federation on the ,ukrainian territory of ,crimea0 and that 8the most significant human rights problems in ,crimea were related directly to the ,russian occupation2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state has described 8an extensive campaign of intimidation to suppress dissent and opposition to the occupation0 that has been carried out by ,russian security services inside ,crimea1 including the use of torture and physical abuse1 kidnapping1 disappearances1 and deportations1 and reporting from independent human rights groups inside and outside ,crimea has documented such alleged human rights violations by ,russian security services and paramilitary groups2 ,whereas the campaign of intimidation in ,crimea has resulted in the prosecution and imprisonment of individuals who oppose or criticize the occupation or support ,ukrainian sovereignty as well as the transfer of some individuals from ,crimea to ,russian ,federation territory from prosecution and imprisonment2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state has noted that illegal occupying authorities in ,crimea have also restricted the fundamental human rights of particular groups1 including ethnic ,ukrainians and ,crimean ,tatars1 8particularly regarding expressions of nationality and ethnicity1 and subjected them to systematic discrimination02 ,whereas human rights groups have cited that such discrimination has been carried out in myriad ways1 including through the outlawing in #bjaf of the elected representative body 7mejilis7 of the ,crimean ,tatar people1 the closing of ,crimean ,tatar and ,ukrainian-language schools1 and forced conscription2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state and other international human rights groups have noted further continuing human rights concerns in ,crimea1 including the suppression of independent media and civil society through harassment and harsh administrative measures1 politicized and unfair judicial processes1 and poor prison conditions2 ,whereas the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has worked to extend ,russian citizenship to individuals inside ,crimea and deprived access to public services of those who refuse such citizenship2 ,whereas civil society groups have alleged that the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has encouraged ,russian citizens to relocate to the ,crimean peninsula and has supported the physical destruction of historical sites in ,crimea1 ostensibly to influence the demographics and political character of the region in favor of the ,kremlin2 and ,whereas the ,government of the ,russian ,federation has supported the development of infrastructure and institutional ties between ,crimea and the ,russian ,federation1 including the opening of a road and rail bridge over the ,kerch ,strait on ,may #ae1 #bjah3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 reiterates that ,crimea is part of the sovereign territory of ,ukraine2 7#b7 stresses that ,united ,states policy should remain that ,crimea is part of ,ukraine and should reject attempts to change the status1 demographics1 or political nature of ,crimea2 7#c7 reaffirms respect for the values of democracy1 human rights1 and rule of law that all individuals in ,crimea deserve1 including non-,russian ethnic groups and religious minorities2 7#d7 condemns all human rights violations against individuals in ,crimea1 and underscores the culpability of the ,russian ,federation for such violations while this territory is under illegal ,russian occupation2 7#e7 calls on the ,government of the ,russian ,federation to immediately respect the political and human rights of individuals in ,crimea1 including those detained in ,crimea or who have been transferred from ,crimea to the territory of ,russia1 and to cease efforts to restrict dissent or change the demographic or political nature of the peninsula2 7#f7 urges the ,united ,states ,government1 in coordination with the ,european ,union1 ,,nato1 and members of the international community1 to prioritize efforts to prevent the further consolidation of illegal occupying powers in ,crimea1 reaffirm unified opposition to the actions of the ,russian ,federation in ,crimea1 and secure the human rights of individuals there2 7#g7 welcomes the sanctions that have been imposed and maintained to date by the ,united ,states and ,european ,union against individuals engaged in furthering the illegal occupation of ,crimea by the ,russian ,federation2 7#h7 calls on the ,united ,states ,government to continue to use relevant sanctions authorities codified in the ,countering ,america's ,adversaries ,through ,sanctions ,act of #bjag 7,public ,law #aae-add71 as well as under the ,global ,magnitsky ,human ,rights ,accountability ,act 7subtitle ,f of title ,,xii of ,public ,law #aad-cbh2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bfef note71 to address and deter those engaged in furthering the illegal occupation of ,crimea and human rights abuses and corruption committed in ,crimea or against individuals from ,crimea2 7#i7 welcomes further efforts by the ,united ,states ,government to encourage the ,european ,union to impose additional ,crimea-related sanctions2 and 7#aj7 calls upon the ,united ,states ,government to declare it the foreign policy of the ,united ,states to never recognize the illegal annexation of ,crimea by the ,russian ,federation1 similar to the #aidj ,welles ,declaration in which the ,united ,states refused to recognized the ,soviet annexation of the ,baltic ,states4