SB Supporting Designation - Russian Federation

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RESOLUTION NO. 2025 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AS A STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM UNDER UNITED STATES LAW; URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO ENACT AND IMPLEMENT LEGISLATION CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF SENATE BILLS INTRODUCED BY U.S. SENATORS LINDSEY GRAHAM AND RICHARD BLUMENTHAL; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Sunny Isles Beach (the "City") is a diverse and vibrant community committed to promoting peace, security, and the well-being of its residents and the global community; and WHEREAS, the Russian Federation's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, beginning in 2014 and escalating in 2022, has involved documented atrocities, war crimes, and the reported abduction of over 20,000 Ukrainian children, actions which constitute a grave threat to international peace and security; and WHEREAS, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R -South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (D - Connecticut) have introduced bipartisan legislation, including the "Russia is a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act", to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law, which would impose significant sanctions, restrict foreign assistance, curtail defense and technology exports, and eliminate Russia's sovereign immunity in U.S. courts, thereby allowing victims of Russian state-sponsored terrorism to seek justice; and WHEREAS, such a designation would place the Russian Federation alongside other nations, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, recognized by the United States as state sponsors of terrorism for repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism; and WHEREAS, the City of Sunny Isles Beach recognizes the importance of holding nations accountable for actions that undermine global stability, human rights, and democratic values, and believes that designating the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism would send a clear message that such behavior is unacceptable; and WHEREAS, the City, home to a diverse population including many residents of Eastern European descent, has a unique interest in promoting peace and condemning actions that destabilize the international community, particularly in regions connected to its residents' heritage; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to express its support for federal efforts to address the Russian Federation's actions and to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and other victims of Russian aggression. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: @BCL@7015DF1D Page 1 of 2 3