Rep. Cleaver Calls for Sanctions on Russian Federation Following Revelations of Bounties on U.S. Troops

(Washington, D.C.) – United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, called for the Trump Administration to immediately impose sanctions on the Russian Federation following reports of Russia funding terrorist organizations to murder American and allied service members in Afghanistan. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Rep. Cleaver also calls for the Administration to implement sanctions against Russia that were passed by Congress in 2014 and are long overdue. The letter was co-signed by four other Financial Services Subcommittee chairmen, including Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Al Green (D-TX), Bill Foster (D-Il), and Brad Sherman (D-CA).

In the letter, Rep. Cleaver wrote:

"As more information is revealed with each passing day, we are forced to question why this administration has not acted or spoken out in defense of our citizens. Worse still, the President has advocated in support of this dangerous regime for membership into the G-7. These reports, whether taken individually or together, highlight the utter insufficiency of the Trump administration's current posture vis a vis Russia and its aggressive and nefarious intentions. As we continue to investigate these developments, it is imperative that you use the tools Congress has provided to defend our country."

"The actions taken by Russia and the GRU warrant a significant and swift reprisal from the current Administration," said Congressman Cleaver. "It's imperative that we make it unequivocally clear that this kind of aggression and any attempt to harm American troops will not be tolerated. Not only must the President implement sanctions that are long overdue from previous hostilities, we must now enact more serious and substantial sanctions to deter any future attempts by Russia to threaten U.S. and allied servicemembers."

You can find the official letter from Rep. Cleaver here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.