Calling for the Immediate Release of Evan Gershkovich, A United States Citizen and Journalist, Who Was Wrongfully Detained By the Government of the Russian Federation in March 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am a strong supporter of H. Res. 377, calling for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich, a United States citizen and journalist who was wrongfully detained by the Government of the Russian Federation in March 2023.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman McCaul for working with me to introduce H. Res. 377 in a bipartisan fashion. We may disagree on many issues in this body, but it is essential that the safe return of American citizens wrongfully detained overseas is not one of them. I appreciate the cooperation and the work together that Mr. McCaul and I do on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Evan Gershkovich, a journalist working in one of the most difficult media environments in the world, has dedicated his life to truth. His reporting has shed light on Russia's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the struggling Russian economy, and its horrific war against the people of Ukraine.

With his detention, Russia has once again stooped to the lowest of lows, detaining an American journalist for the first time since the Cold War. He is detained on baseless charges to gain political leverage and further silence the brave members of the independent press who are undeterred by Russian threats.

Evan, like Paul Whelan, like Brittney Griner, like Trevor Reed before him, continues to be denied his rights by Russian authorities, who are throwing up roadblock after roadblock to prevent our Embassy from getting access to him while he remains in detention. The sham legal processes he is subjected to are conducted without evidence, without transparency, and without due process.

While the administration, with the unanimous support of this Congress, was able to secure the release of Trevor and Brittney, we must continue to do everything, and I mean everything, in our power to ensure that Evan and Paul are brought home safely to their families, as well.

For as long as necessary, we must state unequivocally that we stand with Evan, that we stand with Paul, that we stand with their families suffering tremendous emotional and financial strain as a result of their detentions. By passing this resolution, we can do just that.

I support this measure and hope we can continue to work in a bipartisan fashion with the executive branch on this and other critical legislation to better support Americans like Evan and their families. I encourage my colleagues, all of us, to join in supporting this measure.

Mr. Speaker, there is no more sacred responsibility of government than to ensure the safety and well-being of the American people and ensure that their human rights are respected. Tragically, the authoritarian regime in the Kremlin has taken to the practice of using that commitment against us, taking our citizens hostage for political leverage.

In last year's State Department authorization act, which passed in the annual NDAA, we included additional tools for the State Department to address hostage taking. These include quicker notifications to Congress, expanded whistleblower rewards programs, and greater resources for the State Department. I look forward to these changes being put to use.

In Evan's case, we can take an important step by passing this resolution and condemning hostage diplomacy in the strongest possible terms. We must continue to express support for the efforts of the administration to secure Evan's return and demonstrate our commitment to Evan and Paul, and all other Americans wrongfully detained overseas, for as long as it takes.

As I close, I again thank Chairman McCaul for partnering with me on this important resolution. I hope my colleagues will join us unanimously in supporting this resolution.

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