Monroe County Commissioners were asked Wednesday by local resident John Gerkhardt to make a proclamation to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

“There’s bipartisan resolutions being introduced, designated to the representatives, HR 177,” he said.

The resolution condemns the Russian Federation Council’s vote to allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to use the Russian army outside the territory of the Russian Federation and condemns Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching an invasion of Ukraine, and expresses support for Ukrainian Americans in Pennsylvania.

Gerkhardt said the Assembly reconvenes on March 21. The bill is available on the state House website.

“So it can give you some idea to some of the language that the Pennsylvania representatives were using, and presuming that, I looked around, but didn’t see anything. I presume that the state Senate will also be acting like we all need to get behind Ukraine and the Ukrainians,” he said.

Gerkhardt told the commissioners he had personal disclosure, as he has been to Ukraine in a religious capacity.

“I am in contact with the church to serve the clergy. So having traveled to Ukraine and knowing people … suffering people who don’t deserve action on behalf of their neighbors, and this is not the first time,” he said.

Gerkhardt ended by mentioning 1932-1933.

“There was an artificial famine posed by the Soviet regime in Ukraine. We don’t even know about that below the mirror to the genocide of Ukrainian people. And again, I don’t want to stick my foot on the scale of the Holocaust, but it’s not something we ever hear about.

“I don’t know how many Ukrainians are in Monroe County, but I was reading that Pennsylvania has the second largest printing American population. So, there are a lot of Ukrainian and Ukrainian/Americans. There was a rally on Sunday in your Courthouse Square, It was very well-attended - I was surprised.”

“When the assembly reconvenes on March 21 let us know if there is any kind of actual document,” Laverdure told Gerkhardt.

“Typically we would support something like this as long as it isn’t politically favorable toward one party or the other,” Commissioner John Moyer said.