August Pfluger: “And I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, 682 days ago, my constituent, Trevor Reed of Granbury, Texas, was thrown into…”

“And I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, 682 days ago, my constituent, Trevor Reed of Granbury, Texas, was thrown into jail by the Russian Government for a crime he did not commit before being convicted in Russian kangaroo court. He is an Eagle Scout, a U.S. marine, and, more importantly, a beloved son and brother, who stands to endure a decade of his life in a Russian prison if we are unable to bring him home. Trevor was initially detained for public intoxication, but when the Russian Federal Security Service discovered that he was a U.S. marine, they upped the charges and accused him of endangering the lives of police officers. The accusation and the lack of evidence to support it was so ridiculous that even a Russian judge erupted in laughter during his trial. U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan said justice was not even considered in this case, and described Trevor's trial as a theater of the absurd. His trial was a sham, and his treatment in the custody of Russian authorities has been nothing short of appalling. He has been denied medical care, counselor access, and has been repeatedly moved without prior or proper notification. Even when he was infected with COVID, the Russians cut off communication with our embassy and with his family. Vladimir Putin himself recently smeared Trevor Reed's name, further underscoring the reality that Trevor's detainment is, in fact, politically motivated. Mr.…”