Political Quotes

“today I wish to discuss the passage of my legislation, the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which was included in the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, conference report. I especially want to thank Senator McCain who partnered with me on this legislation and who has been a true champion in the Senate for human rights and the fight against corruption. I also thank Senator Bob Corker, Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Ed Royce, and Congressman Eliot Engel for their help getting this important bill over the finish line. Before I discuss the specifics of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, I want to discuss how we got here. In the 112th Congress, we passed the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act. That act placed sanctions on Russian officials responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was arrested after he uncovered massive corruption in Russia. In 2009, Sergei Magnitsky died after suffering torturous conditions in pretrial detention. Those responsible for his torture and death were not brought to justice in Russia and some were even decorated and promoted. With enactment of the Magnitsky legislation in 2012, the United States sent an unambiguous warning to gross violators of human rights in Russia that we will not allow them to travel to our shores and to use our financial system.…”