U.S. Representative Sandy Levin
12th District of Michigan
| For Immediate Release November 16, 2005 |
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Levin Sponsored Bill Establishing Ukrainian Famine Memorial Passes House of Representatives Levin Speaks in Support of Bill on the Floor of the House of Representatives |
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(Washington D.C.)- The US House of Representatives today passed H.R. 562, a bill introduced by Representative Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) to allow the Government of Ukraine to donate a memorial in Washington, DC honoring the victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide of 1932-33. Passing by a voice vote, Rep. Levin spoke on the House floor in support of the bill:
“The memorial authorized by this legislation will not only honor the memory of the millions that lost their lives, but serve as a tangible reminder to all of us that we must work together to prevent such tragedies in the future,” said Levin. “This reminder is particularly symbolic given the renewed commitment of Ukraine to freedom and democracy as demonstrated during last year’s Orange Revolution.”
During the Famine-Genocide of 1932-33, 7 to 10 million Ukrainians were deliberately and systematically starved to death by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Government introduced unrealistically high quotas on grain and other agricultural products, which were strictly enforced by Red Army troops.
“This legislation is very important to the 1.5 million Ukrainian-Americans throughout the United States, including the vibrant Ukrainian-American Community in Southeast Michigan,” said Levin, who is Co-Chairman of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. “I am extremely proud to have introduced this legislation, and proud that it was so overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives.”
H.R. 562 authorizes the memorial as a gift from Ukraine to the people of the United States, and specifies that no federal money will be used to build or maintain the memorial. The goal is for the memorial to be completed by the 75th anniversary of the Famine-Genocide in 2008. The legislation must now be considered by the Senate.
“The Ukrainian community in Michigan and throughout America will be eternally grateful to Representative Levin for his leadership in Congress regarding H.R. 562 and on so many other issues important to U.S.-Ukraine relations,” said Borys Potapenko, Director of the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Warren. “I look forward to taking my young son to Washington for the dedication of this memorial, which will be especially poignant for me as, by the grace of God, both of my parents survived the Great Famine-Genocide.”
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