; Whereas given the fragile state of the Ukrainian economy, withholding of United States assistance likely would have sent Ukraine into insolvency; Whereas by Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s own account, based upon pressure applied by him, Shokin was fired; Whereas the firing of Prosecutor General Shokin could have affected investigations into Burisma Holdings; Whereas Mr. Shokin has allegedly sworn under affidavit that I was forced out because I was leading a wide-ranging corruption probe into Burisma Holdings, a natural gas firm active in Ukraine and [Vice President] Jo[seph] Biden’s son, [Robert] Hunter Biden, was a member of the Board of Directors ; Whereas press reports indicate that Robert Hunter Biden’s business partners brought in Blue Star Strategies, a consulting firm run by Clinton administration officials, to help fend off Ukrainian investigations of Burisma Holdings; Whereas press reports indicate a team from Blue Star Strategies and a former Obama Justice Department lawyer held undisclosed meetings with Mr. Shokin’s successor, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko, in May of 2016, shortly after he took office to replace Mr. Shokin; Whereas within 10 months of Mr. Lutsenko’s taking office, Burisma Holdings reported that all legal proceedings and pending criminal allegations against Burisma Holdings and Mr. Zlochevsky had been closed; Whereas significant business dealings of Robert Hunter Biden and Rosemont Seneca during the period in which Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. served as Vice President likely remain unknown; and Whereas known allegations relating to Robert Hunter Biden’s work with Rosemont Seneca entities during a time when Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was actively engaged in foreign policy decisions of the United States raises serious concerns regarding conflicts of interest and potential influence on United States foreign policy: Now, therefore, be it