Justice Department asks Congress for more authority to give proceeds from seized Russian assets to Ukraine

Washington — The Justice Department is asking Congress to expand its ability to give proceeds from seized Russian assets to the people of Ukraine, as it continues its fight against Russia's invasion. 

The U.S. is "leaving a lot of money on the table" from those forfeitures, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco testified before Congress Wednesday.

"The millions we are seizing and forfeiting because of export control violations, we can't transfer those proceeds to Ukraine," Monaco told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday. "There are measures of accountability to make sure that those assets get transferred."