Central Coast congressman sanctioned by Russia after supporting Ukraine
On Wednesday, Russian state media published a list of members of Congress banned from traveling to Russia. Rep. Salud Carbajal, who represents San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties in the House of Representatives, was on that list, according to his spokesperson Ian Mariani.
This doesn’t change Carbajal’s travel plans, as he didn’t intend to visit Russia anytime soon. In fact, the congressman “sees it as a badge of honor,” Mariani said.
Carbajal tweeted Wednesday that he has “never been prouder to #StandWithUkraine.”
The list includes 398 members of the U.S. House of Representatives — both Republicans and Democrats.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Carbajal has supported aid for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.
“I’ve been shocked and horrified at the images of atrocities in Bucha, Mariupol, and other parts of Ukraine, which have rightly drawn international condemnation,” Carbajal said in a news release.
He voted in favor of the Ukraine War Crime Deterrence and Accountability Act, which requires the United States “to collect and preserve any and all evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine,” according to the news release. The House of Representatives passed the bill and sent it to the Senate for review.
Carbajal also voted to approve $13.6 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine, to send military supplies and weapons to the country. Of that funding, $4 billion was allocated to humanitarian efforts like food assistance and health care.
On April 1, he joined a letter to President Biden, urging his administration to send military equipment to Ukraine — including a surface-to-air missile system.
In March, he supported Biden’s ban on imports of Russian oil and gas and sanctions on Russian leaders “who are engaged in human rights abuses in Ukraine,” the news release said.
And in December, Carbajal visited Ukraine with a bipartisan congressional delegation to talk with military and civilian leaders about “their growing concerns about Russia’s attempts to destabilize Ukraine’s democracy,” Carbajal said in the release.
This story was originally published April 15, 2022 at 10:01 AM.
