This Week in Congress: New Cold War

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the Senate will vote on the resolution of disapproval of President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the border.

The resolution is expected to pass as enough Republicans will join with Democrats to pass it.

For more on this issue, see Campaign for Liberty Chairman Ron Paul’s column.

In addition to the legislation from yesterday, the House of Representatives will also consider several bills under suspension, all aimed at preventing a new cold war with Russia.

The bills are:

1. H.Res. 156—Condemns Vladimir Putin for involvement in the death of his political opponent, Boris Nemtsov. Calls on the US government to support efforts by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to investigate Nemtsov’s death, calls for sanctions on anyone involved in the death, and calls for the State Department and the Director of National Intelligence to investigate his death. The bill assumes that Putin was behind Nemtsov’s death and (more importantly) that the US government has the authority to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries.

2. H.R. 596– This prohibits US recognition of Russia’s “annexation” of Crimea. For a reasonable view of the conflict see here and here.

3. H.R. 1404– Requires the State Department and the director of national intelligence to prepare a report on Vladimir Putin’s estimated net worth and known sources of income, intermediaries – including shell companies – that he uses, and the identities of the most significant Russian senior officials and oligarchs who facilitate his acts.

4. H.R. 1617- Requires the director of intelligence to prepare an assessment of the intentions of Russia’s political leaders.