1Urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to repeal the Russian
2Federation Federal Law No. 272-FZ of 2012-12-28 "On Sanctions
3For Individuals Violating Fundamental Human Rights and
4Freedoms of the Citizens of the Russian Federation," which
5law is also informally known as Dima Yakovlev Bill, Dima
6Yakovlev Act or anti-Magnitsky law.

7WHEREAS, The Russian Federation Federal Law No. 272-FZ of
82012-12-28 bans certain United States citizens from entering
9Russia, bars nongovernmental organizations from any political
10activities within Russia and, more importantly, bans United
11States citizens from adopting children from Russia; and

12WHEREAS, The law nullifies a recent agreement between the
13United States and Russia in which the countries agreed to
14additional safeguards to protect children and parties involved
15in intercountry adoptions; and

16WHEREAS, The law, which took effect on January 1, 2013, has
17affected hundreds of United States families who were in the
18process of adopting children from Russia; and

19WHEREAS, UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000

1children not in parental custody in Russia, while only 18,000
2Russians are now waiting to adopt a child; and

3WHEREAS, The Bureau of Consular Affairs within the United
4States Department of State reports statistics that from 1999
5through 2012, United States families adopted 45,861 children
6from Russia; and

7WHEREAS, The male-to-female ratio is about even where 23,094
8Russian males have been adopted and where 22,767 females have
9been adopted; and

10WHEREAS, Russian citizens adopted by families in the United
11States range in age from under 1 year of age to over 18 years of
12age. Specifically, United States families have adopted 10,372
13Russian children under 1 year of age, 20,409 Russian children
14between 1 and 2 years of age, 5,365 children between 3 and 4
15years of age, 8,474 children between 5 and 12 years of age,
161,237 children between 13 and 17 years of age and 4 Russian
17citizens over 18 years of age; and

18WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is home to 12,015
19adopted children from all over the world and Pennsylvanians
20adopted 295 children in the year 2012; therefore be it

21RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
22Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strongly support the repeal of the
23Russian Federation Federal Law No. 272-FZ of 2012-12-28 "On
24Sanctions For Individuals Violating Fundamental Human Rights and
25Freedoms of the Citizens of the Russian Federation"; and be it
26further

27RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
28the President of the United States, Vice President of the United
29States, United States Secretary of State, each member of
30Congress from Pennsylvania and to the Governor of Pennsylvania;

1and be it further

2RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the
3United States Ambassador to Russia, who shall be urged to
4transmit a copy to the Russian Ambassador to the United States.