Budzinski, joining local Reps., banned from entering Russia

Following new sanctions from the Biden administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation released a new list of political and corporate leaders banned from entering the country.

Joining former President Barack Obama and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, among the 500 added officials on Friday was U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield.

Recent: Budzinski checks out rail improvement work during Springfield visit

Asked about joining the ranks with such names as Gov. JB Pritzker and the state's three other freshmen congresspeople, Budzinski does not plan on shying away from the distinction.

“It’s a real privilege to join the long list of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who have been banned from Russia for supporting democracy, freedom and the Ukrainian people," the congresswoman said in a statement to The State Journal-Register. "I will wear these sanctions as a badge of honor.”

The Russian foreign ministry said these sanctions came partially in response to the continued U.S. backing of Ukraine, which has sent more than $71 billion to the war-torn nation since the conflict began, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Related: Illinois lawmakers pass measure limiting state investment in Russian assets

Budzinski was asked if she backed the continued support heading towards Ukraine while families at home deal with inflation during a Springfield town hall earlier this month. She believes the investment will pay-off in the long term.

"We cannot afford to not stand with the Ukrainian people and, quite frankly, stand up to Russia," she said at the town hall convened at Union Baptist Church.

The Biden administration's spending in Ukraine has been opposed by U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland. Miller and former U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, who she defeated in last year's Illinois 15th Congressional District Republican primary, are also banned from entering Russia.

"I will vote NO on sending additional money to Ukraine while our own border remains wide open for terrorists, fentanyl smugglers & human traffickers to walk freely across," she tweeted in September 2022.

In February of this year, Miller signed on to the Ukraine Fatigue Resolution backed by other GOP members of Congress which would stop any further U.S. military and financial aid being sent to the country.

Budzinski, just beforehand, co-sponsored the Banning Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act - a bipartisan measure that would ban the sale of U.S. oil to Russia, Iran and North Korea among other nations. Last year, the U.S. exported 9,000 barrels to Russia which was a sliver to its near 3.5 billion barrels exported worldwide according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Contact Patrick Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Budzinski, joining local Reps., banned from entering Russia