Political Quotes

“I thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 336 and, once again, call on the Russian Government to release American citizen, Paul Whelan. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, for her undying leadership in fighting this travesty--and it is a travesty. It has now been over 3 years since Paul Whelan--a marine veteran, a Michigan resident, and, most importantly, an American citizen--was imprisoned in Russia without proper evidence or a fair trial. It was a sham trial; that is the messaging Paul wanted to convey to the world as an unjust Russian judicial system handed out a ridiculous sentence. Throughout his detainment, he has also been denied access to proper medical treatment, despite a sharp decline in his health. Just this week, I returned from Ukraine where Russian atrocities have been on display to the entire world. Make no mistake about that. We saw heartbreaking devastation that has impacted so many lives. But tragically, Vladimir Putin's barbaric behavior is not new. He has no concern for even the most basic of human rights. Today, the House must send an unequivocal message to the Kremlin: It is time to end the maltreatment of Paul Whelan. We just learned the good news that Trevor Reed, another American detained in Russia, was released from prison. We are calling for Paul to be next.…”