From the Congressman's letter:

Dear Dr. Kucharski,

Thank you for contacting me regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  As the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I am closely monitoring the situation. For years, Russia has sought to weaken and undermine Western democracies and its neighbors. Russia has now taken its aggression further by invading Ukraine and threatening its sovereignty. This invasion is a threat to democracies around the world. Russia must take note that the United States and its allies will continue to stand up for Ukraine and against the reconstitution of Russia’s maligned sphere of influence. 

I am not advocating for U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine. However, I do believe that it is important that the United States and its allies levy costs on Russia for its actions. We must do so as a consequence and to demonstrate to our other adversaries, such as China, Iran, and North Korea, that the United States will assist our allies and partners appropriately to resist aggression. To do so, we must provide both humanitarian and lethal aid to the brave people of Ukraine. 

My colleagues and I have introduced legislation intended to address the situation. In January, I introduced the Guaranteeing Ukrainian Autonomy by Reinforcing its Defense (GUARD) Act of 2022. In February, I introduced the Never Yielding Europe’s Territory (NYET) Act of 2022. These bills would ensure Ukraine is provided with the military and diplomatic support it needs in the face of Russia’s destabilizing military actions and require sanctions to be placed on key Russian interests. Moreover, I have consistently called for the Biden Administration to increase the U.S. presence in the region and encourage our NATO allies to provide additional assistance to Ukraine. 

Furthermore, I agree with President Biden’s action to stop American dollars from funding Russia’s war machine by cutting off U.S. imports of Russian oil. Energy exports are the lifeblood of the Russian economy, and we should not allow Russia to use it to spill blood in Ukraine. 

Once again, I truly appreciate the time you spent contacting my office. Seeing people like you take an active role in these issues gives me the motivation to continue to serve the great State of Texas and our great country to the best of my abilities. It continues to be a great honor to represent you in the United States House of Representatives. 
 

Sincerely,

Michael McCaul
Member of Congress