Cardin, Johnson Announce Resolution Honoring Nemtsov, Renewing Call for Action

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) announced Friday their plan to introduce legislation Monday honoring Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and renewing a call for a full and transparent investigation into his tragic murder in Moscow on Feb. 27, 2015. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) join them in co-sponsoring the resolution. 

Senators Cardin and Johnson said this Friday: 

“The courageous work of Boris Nemtsov deserves our recognition. He dedicated his life to the cause of democracy and in support of the desire of the Russian people to live with basic human and civil rights and according to democratic standards. He was assassinated because he raised his voice to expose government corruption and to stand in opposition to President Putin's authoritarianism.” 

The resolution does the following: 

• Recognizes the legacy of courageous Russian opposition leader Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov, who dedicated his life to fighting corruption and promoting the principles of democracy, rule of law, and the inherent dignity of human beings; 

• Encourages the public release of all surveillance tapes from the area surrounding the crime scene to aid in the investigation; 

• Urges the United States government, in official contacts with representatives of the Russian government, to emphasize the importance of bringing to justice all of the conspirators in the murder of Boris Nemtsov; and 

• Calls on the president to significantly increase United States government support for the causes for which Boris Nemtsov gave his life. 

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