Kaptur, Blumenthal, Tillis, & Fitzpatrick Urge State Department To Distribute Funding To Organizations Assisting Kidnapped Ukrainian Children

September 3, 2026 Press Release Toledo, OH – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and US Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) wrote Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to move quickly in awarding $25 Million the State Department has made available to “support the identification, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories.” Although the funding was announced in March, it has not yet been distributed. An estimated 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia or areas in Ukraine occupied by Russia. “While we understand the need for rigorous review, thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children remain separated from their families, and every delay extends the pain and suffering they and their families have already endured,” the members wrote. The full text of the bipartisan, bicameral letter is available by clicking here, or reading below : Dear Secretary Rubio, We write regarding the Department of State’s commitment of $25 Million to support the identification, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories. We welcome the Department’s efforts and urge you to move expeditiously to award these funds. The Department announced available funding opportunities in March 2026. Since then, we have heard directly from organizations working to locate and return Ukrainian children about the continued delay in awarding these funds and the impact it is having on their critical work. While we understand the need for rigorous review, thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children remain separated from their families, and every delay extends the pain and suffering they and their families have already endured. We therefore respectfully urge the Department to promptly complete its review and award the full $25 Million already committed to this important work. Please also provide an update on the anticipated timeline for announcing these awards. Know that Congress stands ready to assist your efforts should you require additional authorities to complete this task. Thank you for your attention to this matter and your continued commitment to helping bring Ukraine’s stolen children home. # # #