Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the summit between Presidents Biden and Putin:

“The summit between Presidents Biden and Putin marked a new turn in America’s relationship with Russia – one defined by a strong and forceful rejection of Putin’s authoritarianism, adherence to our values, support for human rights around the world, and the advancement of American interests.

“I am encouraged by the news that Biden provided Putin with a clear list of industries and critical infrastructure that must never be the target of cyber-attacks and hacks, and promised real consequences if Russia did not cooperate in efforts to hold those responsible to account. That of course was not the only thing on the agenda, and I’m pleased to see initial steps towards a comprehensive dialogue around nuclear weapons and strategic stability.

“After the Kremlin's decision to target reporters from various news outlets, I am also grateful that Biden used the opportunity to advocate for the right of the press to do their work without a target on their backs. There are few places in the world where a free and independent press is more necessary than Russia – a place where political opponents are routinely silenced, elections are neither free nor fair, and the citizens suffer under the weight of corruption.

“Finally, it is worth noting the revisionist history emanating from the Party of Trump today, because, after four years of capitulation to Putin, they would now like to believe that they were tough on Russia. The reality is that their party’s leader refused to stand up to Putin and ignored the interference in our election, human rights abuses, and more.

“There is still much work to be done to counter Russia's many malign actions, and President Biden is off to a very impressive start.”

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