Rep. Don Young says U.S. must seize all Russian-owned boats, and sell their assets with BOATS Act

By
Suzanne Downing
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59

In a bill reminiscent of events that occurred before World War II, Congressman Don Young is offering legislation that would have the United States seize all Russian boats in U.S. waters and have them sold off to help deliver more aid to the people of Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

In the days leading up to the U.S. entering World War II, the U.S. Coast Guard seized a small Norwegian-owned sealing vessel, the Busko, in East Greenland in September, 1941, which created an uproar in the U.S. media, as the Coast Guard towed the Busko into Boston Harbor, where it was heralded as the capture of an enemy vessel.

Young announced that he is drafting legislation to authorize the seizure of Russian yachts and commercial vessels currently within the waters of the United States.

He is calling his legislation, “Bringing Oligarch Accountability Through Seizure (BOATS) Act.” The bill would also authorize the seizure of Russian-owned vessels flying flags of convenience from other nations.

“This legislative effort comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s violent all-out war on Ukraine and its sovereignty continues,” Young said in his press release.

“America and the rest of the freedom-loving world continue to stand with the Ukrainian people in this time of needless violence and infringement on sovereignty. This is a very difficult moment for Europe, and our solidarity with Ukraine must be backed with urgent action against rich Russian oligarchs who continue living lavish lifestyles on mega-yachts, all while their thuggish friend Vladimir Putin reigns terror upon innocent, peaceful Ukrainians. Putin and his elite enablers must be driven from all areas of global commerce and public life. I continue supporting severe sanctions to devastate Putin’s ability to use Russia’s economy as a piggybank to commit global atrocities, but we must do more,” Young said.

“Over the last few days, I have begun drafting legislation to authorize the seizure of any Russian yachts and commercial vessels currently within U.S. waters. When the House of Representatives reconvenes, I intend to formally introduce the Bringing Oligarch Accountability Through Seizure (BOATS) Act. Given the vast humanitarian crisis created by Putin’s greed and aggression, my BOATS Act will permit the U.S. federal government to auction these vessels and all contents inside, with proceeds going toward humanitarian aid efforts offered by NATO member states. We must send a message of zero tolerance for Russian aggression, which requires us to make life as difficult as possible for Putin’s sycophants. Taking action against Putin and standing with Ukraine has united our country. There is broad bipartisan consensus that Putin’s violence must be met with action, therefore I call on my friends in both parties to join me in this vital effort.”

The U.S. House of Representatives takes up business again on Tuesday.

Ukraine, Russia, and the war of misinformation

59 COMMENTS

  2. How about this Don…open new oil leases and fill our pipeline. We, with other countries, can flood the market (like the Saudis do) and bring down Putin’s main income stream. LNG production would help also. $90 per bbl oil is only filing Russia’s coffers, takes lots of money to run a war machine.

    • That’s exactly what Reagan did, and it ruined the soviets.

      Pity we’re stuck with a bunch of cross dressing soy-boys who’d literally rather tilt at windmills in DC.

  3. Maybe(?), we can implement this same approach and strategy with the Chinese, the “known” creators and dissemination of the manmade virus known as: COVID-19. Basically, seize assets and cancel debt obligations on the order of Trillions of $$$. Is the AK Team … i.e. “Ski, Sully & Yung” willing and able to advance this great idea?

  4. Posturing. He knows it won’t happen. If it did it would occur far to late to help.

    He also knows he’s in a fight for his job.

    Putin has been telegraphing his intentions for months if not years. The time to act was then.

  5. Nothing that our government steals from others, does or will, serve those intended as it is purported to do. This is a sham, as is its sponsor.
    –
    Smarten up Don. We can’t even manage to mind our own business. Figure out something that you can do that actually HELPS the citizens of our country and work to make it happen, or your nothing.

    • Well said. How many innocent Americans and foreigners in U.S. waters will have their boats boarded in the effort to find these Russian-owned boats flying the flags of other nations?

      This isn’t even about confiscating property that belongs to the Russian government, but private property owned by Russian citizens who made the “mistake” of coming to the United States and trusting our respect for private property rights.

      It is ideas like this that inspired the phrase “tossing the baby out with the bath water”. Toss out respect for private property in the effort to ding a handful of Putin’s friends? Wow. Just wow.

      • Yes. Plus his politics are wrong here as elsewhere. Confirmations…so much. I don’t vote for him, and o think we may have a viable alternative this time.
        Dunleavy otoh…we’re gonna end up with a split ticket.
        Oh wait!!
        We have our new “enhanced,” forget atm, voting bs in place so even split tickets – aren’t a thang anymore. Alaska’s become a sh!t-show.

      • Does anyone really know what is going on in Russia in Ukraine?
        Has anyone listened to Putin’s side of the story? Can we we look at another perspective?
        Does anyone remember John McCain and Ukraine? Obama and Ukraine regime change?
        Don Young is breathing nostalgic fumes.Time to retire old boy.
        We are not the same USA. We are morphing into something ugly, decrepit, just like what we have standing in as a president.

  7. It is in fact time to cease all of Don Young’s assets and bank accounts!
    ctions like the above mentioned are our only way through this mess they created

  8. All I will say is that all this seizure rhetoric is a two way street. I would also encourage everyone to take the time to view this presentation made in 2015. History can be cruel. ‘https://youtu.be/JrMiSQAGOS4

    • Thank you. That was an extremely informative and well done talk. I appreciate becoming informed. I basically know very little about the Ukraine/Russia situation.

      • For the info you seem interested in, see The Duran on YT, Odysee, or Locals; Triggernometry on YT, Konstantin Krisin is a host, also on the Twatter.

  9. How about we seize all the assets of our real enemies—every Congressman and all the heads of the 850 alphabet soup Federal agencies who’ve had their boots on our throats for the last 50 years.

    I’ll be few know that all these PIGS can “legally” keep their entire campaign funds, often in the millions, when they retire—and all TAX FREE!

  10. Let’s fuel the fire Don. Let’s piss Putin off and start a war. Let’s show Putin how tough we aren’t. Hahahaha. What an idiot! You need to retire you old fool.

  12. Would be different IF we had a solid treaty obligation to the Ukraine, but we don’t!! Not a NATO country and not in our backyard and no serious US intersts threatened ( other than Biden’s reputation!!)

  13. Just about the feeblest idea yet Don. Just want to start WW3? Gotta serve the military industrial complex for one last payout? This is not our conflict, nor should our citizens be sent to fight.

  14. Great publicity but all of the oligarchs moved their yachts to Russian or Chinese controlled waters months ago. They knew this was coming

  16. WE are not AT WAR with Russia. This is dangerous rhetoric that puts us closer to being so. I do not agree with the actions of our neighbor, nor do I agree with the corrupt activities of their foe. Are you prepared to defend the people of your State if retaliatory seizures of Alaskan boats or other property flying Alaskan flags commences? With all due respect, Sir, I STRONGLY advise that you reconsider before making such a hasty decision with such potentially devastating consequences.

  18. Was Big Don this amped up when Leftist radicals were burning , looting and killing in American cities during the peaceful demonstrations of 2020? Any outrage over the taking of political prisoners after the January 6 false flag event? What we did see was Swamp Creature Young make tracks with all swiftness to congratulate Biden for the clever election steal of 2020. Naturally, he voted to certify the fraud. Now Obama/Biden Town is having a problem with Russia and he’s filled with outrage and umbrage over the event. Concerned about the interests of the Obamas, Bidens and Kerrys? Methinks DeepState Don protesteth too much.

  20. Too bad Don Young has never taken such a strong stand for secure US Borders or resource development in Alaska. Don you have done too little too late and for the wrong country.

  21. Don’s tough lol, he and his friend freedom fighter are as useless as they come. All noise and zero action when it matters. Don has been in charge for some crazy number of years and here we are, in a very precarious position.

  22. Don, you must have thought Trudeau’s idea of selling off the Canadian Freedom Convoy trucks was a good idea. We see your true colors and we’re placing you on notice for how you treat America’s Freedom Convoy coming to DC, and get this don’t mess with our truckers!

  24. Great idea!
    A garage sale of sorts that could be used to fund the $187 million overhaul of the border crossing into Alaska from Canada that would “Bring it into the 21st century”
    It just goes to show how disconnected from reality Don Young truly is!
    Time to sail off into the sunset Uncle Don!

  25. You have lost your mind Don Young. Many of us understand that what Putin is actually doing is helping to take out the money laundering regime in the Ukraine for all of your globalist buddies. Draining the swamp of these evil globalists might as well start in the Ukraine, and that is exactly what Putin is doing. He is helping to clean out the bad actors in that government, and many of us know it. Too much information flow now for you guys to control Don. You can’t stop what’s coming, and you need to retire today. We don’t need you getting us in any more wars, and you need to stop stealing our money and wasting it.

    • Putin his another bad gang leader. He using ukraines historic significance and sea access to take out his rival gang. I question if america helped send military aid the last several years would that money make it past government coffers when putin was only authorizing little battle fights? Corruption is terrible, it leads to a nations downfall. If america’s two party system could humble it will weed out corruption found within itself, repent to God for its egarious sins, lest the same thing happens to america.

  26. Fed up with helping other countries while Americans get nothing. Our government border crime is screwed up. We need to take care of issues at home before helping others. Young needs to go

    • During the ww2 time americans and fdr took too long getting involved. The delay permitted the nazism, stalinism, musslini-fascism spread.

      • Jen, sadly meddling with nations internal affairs isn’t this clear cut. I would like to point out that both Hitler and Mussolini were elected by their people. Franco lead a military putsch and Stalin’s USSR was our ally in WWII. Remember the lend-lease program through Fairbanks? FDR’s delay did NOT permit all your -isms as they existed before the war and coming of the recent memory of WWI most Americans were not ready to commit more blood and treasure to a European problem.

  27. Don this is from oath integrity let’s go Brandon. Your shameless sir just retire and go towards the light on your own. Imagine GOD is waiting for oath breakers just on the other side so spin your web no more. So help me GOD oath breakers

  28. Ok, here’s my take on confiscation of the boats and yachts. Donnie can see that his reign is coming to an end and which it should. He’s looking for a bargain basement deal on a yacht to spend his last years on after he loses this next election. He’s thinking ahead.

  29. Don’s plan is playing with fire. To date the US has participated in international sanctions. Wholesale confiscation Russian property without a lawful reason, can and most likely will be seen as an act of war by Putin. Then his propaganda machine can legitimately claim that the US is the aggressor. This stunt reinforces my belief that Don Young needs to retire.

  30. Naturally, the human trafficking business model no doubt could be being routed out right now by the Russians as they are physically “auditing” hardened peripheral areas too. Sadly less than model exploiter/entrepreneurs may have been quite comfortable operating in the Ukraine while everyone looked and laughed the other way with hands full of filthy lucre. Media doesn’t want to know the details now. So we don’t know either. I hope any captives are safely returned to their many countries of origin and those guilty found and prosecuted.

  33. Who’s more senile – SloJoe or DrunkyDon?
    Seriously, he needs to go.
    Let him retire in his home state of Virginia.
    He hasn’t been an Alaskan in a long time.
    How come we don’t talk about the crooked, corrupt real estate deal in Florida that made him lose all his committed assignments?

  35. Turn America into Russia to punish Russia! Right, Don. Time for a change. At least for now property rights are protected in America.

    As you retire in November, consider a nice dacha not too far from mental health facilities. I hear they have some very efficient ones near Stalingrad.

  36. Don has been in Government so long he neglects to understand personal and private company rights. There are plenty of Americans that disagree with the direction of our foreign policy just like there are plenty of Russians. He has forgotten that there are Americans and Russians living their lives that have very little influence over government’s foreign policy. There are thousands of awesome Russians in Alaska that I would call brothers. Don Young does NOT represent me, I hope at least one Russian living and fishing in Alaska reads this and knows there are those of us who resect them to live free here and their personal rights.

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