WASHINGTON — All members of Western Pennsylvania’s U.S. House delegation were among the hundreds of Congress members sanctioned by Russia on Wednesday, according a list published by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The region’s individual members include Reps. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills; John Joyce, R-Blair; Mike Kelly, R-Butler; Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon; Guy Reschenthaler, R-Greene; and Glenn Thompson, R-Centre.
The Kremlin’s decision to place 398 U.S. House members on its “stop list” is in response to U.S. sanctions, including those on Russian lawmakers, according to an English translation of the ministry announcement.
U.S. lawmakers quickly released statements and took to Twitter to flash the sanctions as a “badge of honor” and solidify their political stances as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues well into its second month.
“I had no intention to do business in or visit a country that commits war crimes. Russia’s sanctions of me does not change that,” Mr. Joyce posted to Twitter late Wednesday. “It’s an honor to be recognized as a member of Congress who is personally sanctioned by the totalitarian government of Russia because I choose to stand for freedom, democracy and the people of Ukraine.”
Early on Thursday, Mr. Kelly posted to the platform that he’ll “wear [being named] as a badge of honor for standing up against Vladimir Putin and his brutal regime.” He posted the message along with a screenshot of his name — his birth name, George Kelly — on the list.
Mr. Reschenthaler invoked his military service in a statement to the Post-Gazette: “From the Green Zone in Iraq to the House floor, I’ve always fought for freedom. I’m committed to supporting the freedom-loving people of Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s unjust and savage attacks.”
For Mr. Thompson, the sanctions are “meaningless and merely are an attempt to distract the international community from the atrocities being committed in Ukraine,” he said in a statement to the P-G. “The world is watching and Putin will be held accountable.”
Mr. Doyle also used the word “meaningless” to describe Russia’s announcement and said in a statement that it should not “become a distraction from the real issue — Russia's unjustified, brutal invasion of Ukraine and its slaughter of innocent civilians."
Russia’s announcement comes after the U.S., EU and G7 nations have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Russian banks, oligarchs and lawmakers as well as export controls meant to penalize Russia’s economy and reduce the country’s access to technology, luxury goods and other items.
The State Department in March sanctioned 328 lawmakers in Russia’s lower chamber, the Duma, in addition to the dozen members it had already sanctioned earlier that month. The department targeted the members for supporting Russia’s recognition of the “so-called” Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.
“These members supported the Kremlin’s violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including through treaties recognizing the self-proclaimed independence of Russian-proxy controlled areas of eastern Ukraine,” according to the State Department.
This “tit-for-tat” volley of sanctions against the nations’ respective lawmakers is “largely symbolic,” said Gary Hufbauer, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
“Individual Congress members don't have much influence over Biden’s [international] policy — some, but not much — and individual Duma members have no influence over Putin’s policy,” said Mr. Hufbauer, who has been monitoring economic sanctions for three decades. “… This is high theater, somewhat entertaining, but it doesn’t add to whatever force sanctions have in terms of economic impact.”
Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat representing the Philadelphia area, reacted on Twitter by saying, “Well there goes my spring break plans!”
Sanctions can originate from both the executive and legislative branches, and tension has formed in the past between the two over the matter.
After three weeks of negotiations, the House and Senate last week passed legislation to revoke normal trade relations with and ban oil imports from Russia — the first of any measures originating from Congress since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
The Biden administration and allies on Wednesday discussed another round of financial penalties against Russia, according to The Associated Press.
Ashley Murray: amurray@post-gazette.com
First Published: April 14, 2022, 5:07 p.m.
