Friend,

I just recently returned from my fifth trip to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s savage, murderous invasion two years ago. Each visit has taught me so much about Ukrainian courage and resolve, and highlighted why continued American support is absolutely necessary.

Let me press this upon you: Ukraine is at a life-and-death moment. President Zelenskyy personally told me and my colleagues that without the arms and ammunition that the United States can provide, his lines cannot hold. Putin will conquer Ukraine. And he will not stop there.

Right now, Ukrainians are bleeding and dying, many because they lack enough ammunition to defend themselves. What happens if Congress stalls? What happens if we allow Ukraine to fall? Putin will advance to claim other nations and America could get pulled even further into violent conflict in Europe.

We can avoid direct American involvement as well as protect Ukraine and enable them to win by passing the National Security Supplemental through the House and sending it to President Biden’s desk.

This supplemental spending package provides the tools Ukraine needs most urgently: air defense, anti-mine systems, long-range artillery, and more. Yet Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is sitting on the legislation and refusing to pass it – despite bipartisan support from the Senate, despite Ukraine being at a life-and-death moment right now.

Speaker Johnson must lead or get out of the way. House members are ready to pass this legislation in droves, with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. I’m counting on this grassroots team to demand Speaker Johnson take action. 

Will you please sign on to my petition right now demanding Speaker Johnson bring Ukraine aid to a vote in the House? Time is not on Ukraine’s side, but Speaker Johnson is the one person standing in the way of urgent action.

Following my trip to Ukraine, I addressed an audience of hundreds back home in Connecticut who rallied to support the Ukrainians’ fight for independence.

I want to close with words from Ukrainian writer Artem Chapeye, who has spoken of Ukraine as “unimaginably beautiful.” Artem, in a recent interview with NPR, said that even after two years of war, Ukraine has become “even more beautiful.” And it’s because, even as the world thought Ukraine would collapse in just a few weeks of Russian aggression, half a million Ukrainians went to volunteer in the army in the first few days of war. 

“It makes it even more beautiful for me now,” he says. 

We must summon that same courage. We must be there for our friends and allies. We must stop Russia’s invasion. Please join me in taking action today so we can get aid to Ukraine.

Thank you,

Dick