WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HP 578

Joint Resolution Acknowledging The Holodomor As An Act Of Genocide Against The Ukrainian People

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Nina Milliken and 1 co-sponsor

Maine legislature formally recognizes the 1932-1933 Holodomor as genocide against Ukrainians, a symbolic acknowledgment with no legal enforcement but geopolitical significance.

READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HP 578

Legislative bill overview

This is a joint resolution from the Maine Legislature formally acknowledging the Holodomor—the devastating famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932-1933—as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. The resolution expresses the state's recognition of this historical event and its victims, and has been adopted by both chambers of the legislature.

Why is this important

The Holodomor remains historically and politically significant because scholars debate whether Stalin's policies constituted intentional genocide or resulted from broader Soviet agricultural collectivization. Maine's formal acknowledgment aligns the state with Ukraine and several other countries and regions that have made similar designations, particularly relevant given current U.S.-Ukraine relations and support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

Potential points of contention

  • Historical interpretation: Some historians argue the famine resulted from economic policy failures rather than deliberate genocide, though most mainstream scholarship supports the genocide classification
  • Geopolitical symbolism: The resolution may be viewed as taking a political stance on Russian-Ukrainian relations during an active conflict
  • Legislative scope: Joint resolutions are symbolic statements without legal force; critics may question whether legislative time should focus on non-binding historical declarations versus substantive policy

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.