On July 13th, Senator Amy Klobuchar stood alongside the Ukrainian-American community in Minneapolis to address one of the gravest crimes of Russia’s war against Ukraine – the abduction of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories.
Speaking at a press event hosted with local community leaders, Senator Klobuchar presented Senate Bill 2119, a critical legislative effort she introduced to address this ongoing crisis. The bill is built on three essential pillars:
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Supporting investigations and tracking of abducted and missing Ukrainian children
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Providing rehabilitation resources for children who have been successfully returned
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Pursuing justice by working with Ukrainian prosecutors on war crimes cases and providing needed legal support
Watch the video from the press event
UNWLA was proud to have Maria Doan, President of UNWLA’s Branch 148, join the event alongside Dima Blyshchak, President of the Ukrainian American Community Center, and Iryna Borbol, a family educational mentor. Each of them delivered powerful remarks about the trauma endured by Ukrainian families and the strength and resilience of our people in the face of unimaginable loss.
Sen Klobuchar speaking, Maria Doan, President of the UNWLA Branch 148, Dima Blyshchak, President of the Ukrainian American Community Center, and Iryna Borbol, a family educational mentor.
Sen Klobuchar with children from the local community
Maria Doan, President of the Branch 148 speaking
Vocal support for legislation like Senate Bill 2119, along with national campaigns such as Children Praying for Children, is an important part of UNWLA’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness about Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Through advocacy, education, and community mobilization, we continue to amplify the voices of Ukrainian Americans calling on the U.S. government to remain committed to Ukraine and to the safe return of every child.
We encourage our national community to contact their U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor Senate Bill 2119.
This legislation is a crucial step in supporting Ukraine’s efforts to bring its children home and to hold russian agressors accountable.
Sample message for calls to Senate offices:
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [City, State]. I’m calling to ask Senator [Last Name] to cosponsor Senate Bill 2119, introduced by Senator Klobuchar and original cosponsor Senator Chuck Grassley, which addresses the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. This bill supports investigations, rehabilitation for returned children, and prosecution of war crimes. Please help ensure the United States continues to stand firmly with Ukraine and supports efforts to bring these children home. Thank you.”
We thank Senator Klobuchar for her leadership, and we are deeply grateful to UNWLA Branch 148 and the entire local Ukrainian-American community for their strong support and advocacy.
#ReturnUkrainesChildren
