House GOP rejects Dvorak plan to keep Indiana pension money away from Russian interests

INDIANAPOLIS – Republicans in the Indiana House today rejected an effort by State Rep. Ryan Dvorak(D-South Bend) to protect Hoosier pension funds from Russian Federation interests.

House Republicans voted against an amendment proposed by Dvorak that would have required the state of Indiana to divest any pension interests from companies that have active business operations or investments in strategic industries with the Russian Federation or any territory currently occupied by the Federation. The amendment, offered to Senate Bill 46, was defeated on a 57-27 party-line vote.

“This amendment was intended to offer a clear statement of rejection against a country that has acted against the direct interests of the United States and has become a force for destabilization across this world,” Dvorak said. “We need to be particularly outraged over the invasion, occupation, and forced annexation of Crimea—an act of aggression without equal since the Second World War.

“The Russian Federation is a kleptocracy—a government of gangsters and thieves,” he continued. “Any investment with them is not only tainted by blood and corruption. It is also a fundamentally bad investment.

“When the Putin government inevitably fails, all of the corrupt industries he controls will fall with him,” Dvorak said. “We cannot expose Indiana pensions to that risk.

“The war in Ukraine already has taken over 10,000 lives, and more die every day,” he noted. “The Russian government does not hesitate to use bullets, bombs, spies, and thugs to do everything they can to destabilize their enemies.

“They consider themselves to be in an undeclared war with the U.S., and we need to firmly hit back,” Dvorak said. “I am disappointed we could not get agreement from the House Republicans on that point. I am confused as to how this became a partisan issue. I offered my amendment not as a Democrat or a Republican, but as an American.”