ICYMI Video: Blumenthal Joins Members of Congress and Veterans in Calling for Aid to Ukraine

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke at an event today organized by VoteVets calling for support for Ukrainian allies and urging House Republican leadership to allow a vote on the bipartisan Senate National Security Supplemental Aid Package that provides critical aid to Ukraine.

“Every time I’ve gone to Ukraine, what has so moved and impressed me is their resolve. As President Zelenskyy told me in my first trip, when they were still pushing back the Russians from that initial invasion, ‘We will fight with pitchforks if we have to do it.’ That’s defense of democracy,” said Blumenthal. “So my plea to the Speaker is give us a vote. Allow the House to do its jobs. Do your job. Allow the House to vote, as we did in the Senate. And the result will be, as in the Senate, an overwhelming bipartisan majority.”

In addition to veterans Alex Vindman, Ryan O’Leary, and Richard Harris, Blumenthal was joined at the event by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Jason Crow (D-CO), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Jack Auchincloss (D-MA), Don Davis (D-NC), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Pat Ryan (D-NY), and Dan Goldman (D-NY).

Video of Blumenthal’s remarks can be found here. A transcript of Blumenthal’s speech is available below.

I am really so proud to be standing with these leaders. And you have been such staunch advocates in the House, especially the Dean of my Delegation, the great Rosa DeLauro, but all of you, and my colleagues Tim Kaine and Michael Bennet, who went with me to Ukraine just a couple weeks ago—my fifth trip to Ukraine in the last couple of years. And every time I’ve gone to Ukraine, what has so moved and impressed me is their resolve. As President Zelenskyy told me in my first trip, when they were still pushing back the Russians from that initial invasion, “We will fight with pitchforks if we have to do it.” That’s defense of democracy. That is a lesson for the world and should be a lesson for the United States of America. We have something very precious here.

Ukrainians are bleeding and dying on battlefields to preserve their democracy and freedom. And we will be bleeding and dying with our troops on a battlefield in Europe if we fail to give Ukraine what it needs. Because Putin will keep going. And our treaty obligations will require us to put those troops on the ground in Europe if he continues this aggression unstopped by the Ukrainians.

Right now, they have enough ammunition and artillery shells to fire only one-third of what the Russians are firing at them. They’ve been successful in the Black Sea, in destroying a major part of the Russian navy. When they have the arms and the tools to fight back, they win. And what we heard on this most recent trip, from our intelligence community and our military, was they will win if they have those tools to prevail. But they will lose if they don’t have the benefit of this supplemental.

So my plea to the Speaker is give us a vote. Allow the House to do its jobs. Do your job. Allow the House to vote, as we did in the Senate. And the result will be, as in the Senate, an overwhelming bipartisan majority. The American people support Ukraine because they know their fight is our fight. And so I am very thankful for the bipartisan support that we have around the country. And my colleagues who are standing with us today. Thank you. Slava Ukraini, and thank you to Tim Kaine.

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