Reid: Republican ‘Obstruction’ May Have Helped Russia Annex Crimea

“The first item the ░░░░░░░░ must consider in this ░░░░░░░░ work period is a ░░░░░░░░ package of aid to ░░░░░░░░ and sanctions against Russia ░░░░░░░░ their untoward actions against ░░░░░░░░ neighbor As we prepare ░░░░░░░░ debate this measure I ░░░░░░░░ remind all Senators that ░░░░░░░░ is customary to show ░░░░░░░░ for the President and ░░░░░░░░ office whenever he travels ░░░░░░░░ That has been the ░░░░░░░░ in the United States ░░░░░░░░ regardless of who is ░░░░░░░░ office As we begin ░░░░░░░░ on this aid and ░░░░░░░░ package I also hope ░░░░░░░░ Republicans who stopped action ░░░░░░░░ this legislation prior to ░░░░░░░░ break have considered how ░░░░░░░░ obstruction affects United States ░░░░░░░░ security as well as ░░░░░░░░ people of Ukraine Since ░░░░░░░░ few Republicans blocked these ░░░░░░░░ sanctions last work period ░░░░░░░░ lawmakers voted to annex ░░░░░░░░ and Russian forces have ░░░░░░░░ over Ukrainian military bases ░░░░░░░░ s impossible to know ░░░░░░░░ events would have unfolded ░░░░░░░░ if the United States ░░░░░░░░ responded to Russian aggression ░░░░░░░░ a strong unified voice ░░░░░░░░ a few extremist Republicans ░░░░░░░░ action on this robust ░░░░░░░░ reported with strong bipartisan ░░░░░░░░ by the Foreign Relations ░░░░░░░░ it sent a dangerous ░░░░░░░░ to Russian leaders I ░░░░░░░░ pleased that in the ░░░░░░░░ of Republicans obstruction President ░░░░░░░░ moved forward with additional ░░░░░░░░ The President is working ░░░░░░░░ with our European allies ░░░░░░░░ impose the most effective ░░░░░░░░ possible In light of ░░░░░░░░ clear cut Russian aggression ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine it s difficult ░░░░░░░░ believe Republicans blocked this ░░░░░░░░ at all But it ░░░░░░░░ almost unimaginable why they ░░░░░░░░ it to protect the ░░░░░░░░ of their own big ░░░░░░░░ donors A few radical ░░░░░░░░ delayed this aid package ░░░░░░░░ an entire week in ░░░░░░░░ to protect the Koch ░░░░░░░░ and billionaires like them ░░░░░░░░ s hard to believe ░░░░░░░░ that s the truth ░░░░░░░░ objected to moving forward ░░░░░░░░ this aid package in ░░░░░░░░ to protect the ability ░░░░░░░░ the Koch brothers and ░░░░░░░░ GOP donors to hide ░░░░░░░░ shadowy front groups groups ░░░░░░░░ spend millions on misleading ░░░░░░░░ attack ads Republicans objected ░░░░░░░░ moving forward with this ░░░░░░░░ package unless Democrats agreed ░░░░░░░░ allow the Kochs and ░░░░░░░░ like them to continue ░░░░░░░░ anonymously spend millions trying ░░░░░░░░ buy America s democracy ░░░░░░░░ s hard to believe ░░░░░░░░ that s the truth ░░░░░░░░ applaud the Ranking Member ░░░░░░░░ the Foreign Relations Committee ░░░░░░░░ well as the senior ░░░░░░░░ from Arizona for their ░░░░░░░░ defense of this bill ░░░░░░░░ to the break They ░░░░░░░░ Democrats in defending bipartisan ░░░░░░░░ and the role of ░░░░░░░░ International Monetary Fund in ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine s economy and ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine free The measure ░░░░░░░░ this body includes vital ░░░░░░░░ guarantees sanctions IMF funding ░░░░░░░░ security assistance.”