Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) on Tuesday circulated a memo to House and Senate Republican colleagues, noting how the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act (REPO Act) would hamstring a future Donald Trump presidency and drive potential allies toward competing financial systems that Russia and China control.
“The REPO Act, currently debated in the House, would freeze the Russia sanctions in place and require an act of Congress to change. House Republicans must not pass legislation that makes it impossible for Donald Trump to engage in diplomacy,” Vance wrote.
The REPO Act, currently debated in the House, would freeze the Russia sanctions in place and require an act of Congress to change.
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 16, 2024
House Republicans must not pass legislation that makes it impossible for Donald Trump to engage in diplomacy.
Vance’s comments come as the House will vote on a package of bills that include aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as a TikTok ban bill.
One of these bills, the REPO Act, would confiscate and dispossess Russian sovereign assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction. The confiscated funds would be liquidated into the Ukraine Support Fund that the REPO Act establishes.
In his memo to Republicans, Vance said that the REPO Act could have significant blowback to America, including:
- Hampering the U.S. Treasuries markets and hindering America’s ability to meet debt obligations
- Tying the hands of a future president, including former President Donald Trump
- Empowering Russia and China at the expense of the U.S. financial system
- The majority of the bill’s provisions are shielded from judicial review
Calling this proposed move “unprecedented in peacetime,” the Ohio populist said this represents a “significant escalation” to America’s approach to the Ukraine conflict.
Vance also said that this could prevent a future Trump presidency’s ability to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He wrote:
Removing the president’s ability to end or alter a sanctions regime, especially in the context of such a significant conflict, would dramatically limit U.S. negotiating leverage, thereby undermining the prospect of reaching a peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Vance wrote that anti-Trump people will be used to “control” the former president.
“I’ve heard multiple people who hate Donald Trump argue that the REPO Act will be used to control him in the next administration. So why is a Republican House speaker pushing it through Congress?”
“The legislation freezes the current sanctions regime on Russia, and requires an act of Congress to change it. Maybe you like those sanctions, or hate them, or think they should be harsher. Whatever your views, the president should make this decision,” Vance concluded.
The legislation freezes the current sanctions regime on Russia, and requires an act of Congress to change it. Maybe you like those sanctions, or hate them, or think they should be harsher. Whatever your views, the president should make this decision.
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 16, 2024
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
