Lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. Congress have expressed frustration with what they see as the Biden administration’s slow and cautious approach to addressing the ongoing crisis in Georgia. In particular, they have criticized the administration for refraining from imposing sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder and de facto leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, who amassed his wealth in Russia.
Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the outgoing chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized the need for action. “The executive branch can act, and we’re expecting the executive branch [will],” Cardin told The Hill.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the incoming ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voiced her frustration on the Senate floor. “I’m very frustrated because in my view we’re not doing enough, we are failing to meet this moment and answer this call,” she said. “We have failed to respond in a meaningful way to change the calculus of Georgian Dream’s leadership. They are paying no price for their actions as they defy the will of the people and take pages from Putin’s authoritarian playbook.”
Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the incoming chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, echoed Shaheen’s sentiments. Speaking on the Senate floor, Risch warned of the return of oppressive tactics reminiscent of the Soviet era. “The ghosts of the Russian empire are still there in that country [Georgia], and they’re showing up in what’s happening today. … It is brutal, it involves torture, it involves arrests, it involves all the things we see from [the] old Soviet Union,” Risch said.
He expressed disappointment in the administration's inaction despite Congress passing legislation granting it the authority to impose sanctions. “We passed a bill that gives the Biden administration to go in and levy sanctions on people … who should be sanctioned, and it’s not a secret. … Let’s get at it. … I’m deeply disappointed we haven’t done that,” Senator Risch said.
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