; Whereas Russian interference in the election processes of democratic countries is not new but instead a continuation of the Translator Project , an ongoing information warfare effort launched by President Putin in 2014 to use social media to manipulate public opinion and voters in western democracies; Whereas President Putin and the Russian Government have committed truly despicable acts for many years, including the occupation of Georgia, the imprisonment and killing of journalists, the use of chemical weapons on the soil of Great Britain, and the destruction of a passenger airliner which killed 298 innocent civilians; Whereas prior to the July 2018 meeting in Helsinki, Finland, Americans have become increasingly concerned regarding the cozy relationship between the President of the United States and the leader of its most formidable adversary, President Putin, whose actions or conduct the President of the United States has found no reason to criticize or condemn, notwithstanding his well-documented propensity to attack, criticize, and disrespect other persons at will, from the leaders of America’s most stalwart allies to private citizens he dislikes; Whereas the Department of Justice has secured an indictment charging 12 Russian military intelligence officers with theft of property belonging to the Democratic National Committee, the Clinton Presidential campaign, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee through means of cyber intrusion or computer hacking ; Whereas The New York Times and other publications have reported that officials and operatives of the Trump Presidential campaign met with agents of the Russian Federation for the purpose of obtaining or benefitting from information stolen by the Russian military intelligence persons to be used to damage the Presidential campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton