Political Quotes

“from time to time, I come to the floor to discuss political prisoners jailed by some of the world's worst regimes. I have often been joined in that effort to secure their release by colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including then- Senator and now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio. You see, despite periods of retreat on the global stage, the United States is still being seen as a beacon of hope for those who want freedom and democracy, and this American voice has always enjoyed broad bipartisan support. President Reagan certainly understood this when he famously told the Soviets to ``tear down this wall'' at the Brandenburg Gate. The late-John McCain understood this when he joined thousands of Ukrainians aspiring for freedom on Maidan Square. President Trump's Special Envoy Keith Kellogg understood this when he recently secured the release of several Belarusian political prisoners. My former Senate colleague from Maryland Ben Cardin understood this when he passed the bipartisan Global Magnitsky Act. Many times, those released from gulags overseas as a result of pressure from this Chamber have even visited me here in Washington, and they note how important it is to be remembered despite their isolation. So today, I want to mention just a few cases that deserve the attention of this Senate. Let me start with the United Arab Emirates.…”