Bipartisan letter calls for Ukraine travel restrictions be lifted for Congress

MONTEREY, Calif. – A bipartisan letter urging the Biden Administration to lift restrictions on members of Congress traveling to Ukraine in order to get a clearer picture of American assistance there, among other goals, was led by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, and Rep. Joe Wilson, Republican, South Carolina, District 2.

The letter argues that lawmakers need the ability to travel longer and more freely in Ukraine in order to conduct appropriate oversight of American assistance and to make informed decisions on future foreign policy.

Current U.S. State Department policy prevents congressional delegations, or CODELS, to Ukraine from staying overnight and from traveling outside of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. According to Rep. Panetta’s office, these restrictions limit the number of site visits and meetings with Ukrainians that lawmakers can accomplish.

“These restrictions on CODELs to Ukraine prevent members of Congress from developing a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the country and the type of support that is needed, and altogether deters future Congressional visits.,” wrote the members. “It (is) critical that Congress witness and assess how U.S. weapons and humanitarian support are faring on the battlefield. Such an opportunity to view the realities of the war in Ukraine would allow us to deliver an accurate account of the support by the United States to our constituents.”

Over the summer, a bipartisan delegation that included Panetta, traveled to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to reaffirm U.S. support, survey the damages of war and provide oversight of assistance.

The diplomatic trip occurred Aug. 3-9. The members visited U.S. democratic allies as Ukraine prepared for operations headed into the fall and winter, to discuss the challenges ahead and how U.S. military, energy, humanitarian assistance will be utilized.

The Congressional delegation was able to spend five days in Ukraine, traveling to the southern seaport city of Odesa and into Bucha, where Russia staged one of its most brutal attacks against Ukrainian citizens who fought and ultimately defeated Russian forces.

According to Panetta’s Office, existing U.S. State Department restrictions do not apply to outside organizations, and the delegation that traveled during the summer was with the group Center for Strategic and International Studies, and able to stay longer and travel wider.

But had the Congressional members not been invited onto the research trip, it would have been a different story.

“Current U.S. State Department policy prevents CODELs to Ukraine from staying overnight and from traveling outside of Kyiv. To abide by those restrictions, CODELs must fly to Poland and embark on a ten- or more-hour overnight train ride to Kyiv. The CODELs can then conduct meetings only within the capital, and must immediately take another ten or more-hour train ride back to Poland that same day,” says the letter in part.

“The current structure of the trips limits the number of site visits and meetings with Ukrainians across the country. Ultimately, these restrictions on CODELs to Ukraine prevent Members of Congress from developing a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the country and the type of support that is needed, and altogether deters future Congressional visits.”

“Congress plays a vital role in shaping U.S. foreign policy when it comes to supporting our democratic partners throughout the world,” the letter continues. “CODELs play an important part in developing our understanding of our partners and our policies. That is why we request that the rules for CODELs to Ukraine be changed to allow for Congressmembers to stay overnight and travel beyond Kyiv. Such changes would allow Congress to produce more accurate and proper policies for Ukraine by granting Congressmembers a unique education experience that can only be afforded through CODELs.”

Joining Reps. Panetta and Wilson are Reps. Don Bacon, NE-02, Donald Norcross, NJ-01, Don Davis, NC-01, Austin Scott, GA-08, Seth Moulton, MA-06, Salud Carbajal, CA-24, Tom Kean, NJ-07, Jim Costa, CA-21, and Josh Gottheimer, NJ-05.

_____