Whereas Nord Stream II is an underwater gas pipeline that, if completed, will transport natural gas from the Russian Federation through the Baltic Sea to Germany; Whereas Russia controls the supply of nearly 40 percent of Europe’s gas and 11 European countries rely on Russian gas for 75 percent or more for their annual needs; Whereas Nord Stream II will increase Russian control over the European energy market; Whereas Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, stated that Nord Stream II would not help diversification, nor would it reduce [European] dependency on Russian gas; Whereas it has been longstanding United States policy to support European energy security through diversification of supplies, such as the Southern Gas Corridor which will deliver Caspian Sea energy resources to Southern and Central Europe; Whereas the existing Ukrainian gas transit system currently has 55 billion cubic meters of spare capacity which is equal to Nord Stream II’s planned capacity; Whereas Ukraine has been a stable and reliable transit hub for energy flowing to European destinations; Whereas Russia’s geopolitical interest in Nord Stream II is not to increase European energy security, but rather to drive a wedge between countries in Europe and drastically diminish the existing Ukrainian gas transit system; Whereas according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy, Sanda Oudkirk, because [Nord Stream II] has such a potentially large impact on the national security of some of our largest partners in the world, it has an impact on our national security ; and Whereas Members of Congress on a bipartisan basis have expressed strong opposition to Nord Stream II through statements and legislation: Now, therefore, be it