[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9586-H9589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MR. EDMOND POPE FROM PRISON IN RUSSIAN 
                               FEDERATION

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 404) calling for the immediate 
release of Mr. Edmond Pope from prison in the Russian Federation for 
humanitarian reasons, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 404

       Whereas Mr. Edmond Pope of State College, Pennsylvania, is 
     a husband, father, grandfather, son, and United States 
     businessman;
       Whereas Edmond Pope has visited the Russian Federation 27 
     times in order to foster better business and university-based 
     research relationships;
       Whereas Edmond Pope traveled to the Russian Federation in 
     late March 2000 in order to purchase commercially advertised 
     underwater propulsion technology, as stated in his visa 
     approved by the Government of the Russian Federation;
       Whereas Edmond Pope was arrested on April 3, 2000, in 
     Moscow, imprisoned in Lefortovo, and charged with espionage;
       Whereas the Russian who allegedly committed an act of 
     treason by aiding Edmond Pope was released and has been 
     living with his family;
       Whereas Edmond Pope has been treated for 
     hemangiopericytoma, a rare form of cancer, that was in 
     remission prior to his travel;
       Whereas Edmond Pope's father is dying of multiple myeloma, 
     a type of bone cancer that can be hereditary;
       Whereas Edmond Pope should receive routine medical care by 
     a qualified, trained professional in order to monitor the 
     possibility of a recurrence of cancer due to his high-risk 
     potential;
       Whereas Edmond Pope has missed his annual monitoring visit 
     resulting in a 14 month lapse since his last visit;
       Whereas Edmond Pope's prison conditions have caused a 
     dramatic loss in weight and his physical stature has 
     deteriorated;
       Whereas Edmond Pope has been denied the basic human right 
     of proper medical attention deserving of an individual in his 
     condition;
       Whereas two Americans have died in the past few months 
     within prisons in the Russian Federation and another 
     individual has recently died in Lefortovo;
       Whereas Edmond Pope has been unjustly arrested and detained 
     for more than 5 months, preventing him from celebrating his 
     30th wedding anniversary and the marriage of his son, and 
     during which time his mother-in-law passed away;
       Whereas recent events have shown that trials in the Russian 
     Federation involving alleged violations in the area of 
     national security can take several years;

[[Page H9587]]

       Whereas it is unlikely that Edmond Pope would survive a 
     lengthy trial; and
       Whereas United States business and academic interests with 
     the Russian Federation are beginning to be detrimentally 
     impacted by this event: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That--
       (1) the Congress calls on the Russian Federation, under the 
     leadership of President Vladimir Putin, to immediately 
     release Mr. Edmond Pope of State College, Pennsylvania, and 
     to ensure that proper and qualified medical attention is 
     provided to him in order to ensure that another loss of life 
     does not occur in a prison in the Russian Federation;
       (2) it is the sense of Congress that if Edmond Pope is not 
     released immediately the President should continue all 
     efforts afforded to the administration to secure his release, 
     including the consideration of--
       (A) terminating all assistance to the Government of the 
     Russian Federation under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
     and the annual Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 
     Related Programs Appropriations Act for purposes of preparing 
     the Russian Federation's entrance or accession to the World 
     Trade Organization (WTO); and
       (B) opposing any further debt relief of obligations owed to 
     the United States Government from the Government of the 
     Russian Federation; and
       (3) the President should increase efforts to secure 
     appropriate medical attention for Edmond Pope.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Con. Res. 404.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, this resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 
404, introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson), 
supports Mr. Edmond Pope, an American citizen who has been jailed by 
the Russian government for several months on the charge of espionage 
that, by all accounts, is based on extremely dubious evidence. I 
commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson) for his tireless 
work on behalf of one of his constituents, Mr. Pope.
  This resolution calls on the Russian government to immediately 
release Mr. Pope and to ensure that he is provided proper medical 
attention for the rare form of cancer with which he is afflicted.
  Let me point out to my colleagues that Mr. Pope is a businessman and 
that he has been to Russia many times over the past few years on 
business trips.
  I simply do not believe that the Russian government has proved its 
case, particularly in light of the fact that a Russian citizen who 
supposedly worked with Mr. Pope in the alleged espionage case has 
already been released by the Russian government.
  This resolution makes it abundantly clear that, if Mr. Pope is not 
released, the President of the United States should continue to seek 
his release and should consider terminating all assistance that our 
Nation provides to the Russian government under our Foreign Assistance 
Act for purposes of preparing Russia to enter the World Trade 
Organization.

                              {time}  2030

  It also calls on our President to refuse further debt relief for the 
Russian Government if it does not release Mr. Pope.
  My colleagues, the actions of the Russian Government in this case do 
not appear to be those of a country interested in proper treatment of 
businessmen and investors. I believe it is, therefore, appropriate to 
send this message in the form of a nonbinding resolution that we expect 
a nation that wants to be part of an international trade organization, 
that wants debt relief, and that wants more American investment to 
treat our American businessmen appropriately.
  I would point out to my colleagues that over the past few years our 
government has reportedly arrested several Russian spies here in our 
Nation, some under diplomatic cover and others operating without it. I 
understand we have allowed those Russian spies in recent years to 
return home to Russia, even when our FBI believed them to be career 
members of the Russian intelligence agencies. Even when a Russian 
espionage device was found in our State Department headquarters itself, 
we sent the so-called diplomat back home.
  We are all aware of the reports that Russian spying conducted here in 
our Nation and from espionage facilities, such as the one at Lourdes, 
Cuba, is today at record levels. It is ironic, Mr. Speaker, that Russia 
would arrest and imprison for months an American businessman who may 
very well be innocent, all the while conducting espionage against us at 
records that exceed those of the Cold War.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this nonbinding resolution and I urge my 
colleagues to adopt it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution.
  Mr. Pope was arrested in Russia on April 3, 2000, while negotiating 
the purchase of an underwater propulsion technology which was 
advertised for commercial use. Mr. Speaker, I submit Mr. Pope is not a 
spy. His Russian visa states that the purpose of the trip to Russia was 
to acquire such technology.
  It is outrageous, Mr. Speaker, that Mr. Pope has been languishing at 
the Lefortovo prison, the former KGB stronghold, for nearly 6 months 
now. Mr. Pope has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer which 
requires annual screening and which he has missed this past August 
because of his arrest.
  His health may be getting worse, but the Russians refuse access to 
him by a qualified Western oncologist. The Russian authorities have 
said that the Russian doctors are capable of examining Mr. Pope, and 
based on that examination, they supposedly say he is fit to stand 
trial.
  Mr. Speaker, this case has been discussed at the highest levels of 
the American and Russian governments. Our own President, President 
Clinton, has raised this issue with President Putin several times now, 
most recently at the U.N. Millennium Summit in New York City. At every 
opportunity, the Russians have been told the charges against Mr. Pope 
are groundless and they must let him come home to his family.
  I share some of the State Department concerns about the call in the 
resolution for cutting all foreign assistance to Russia, which includes 
denuclearization assistance and support for democratic institutions and 
independent media. I would hope that the administration could 
effectively utilize policy levers short of this drastic step to achieve 
Mr. Pope's release.
  We should at least commend our good friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson), for doing such a fantastic 
job supporting Mr. Pope's family in support of this resolution, and I 
urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson).
  Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the 
chairman for yielding me this time. I appreciate the very strong 
support we have had from the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman); the 
ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson); as well 
as the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), who has been 
such a good friend; and I want to thank the staff who have worked so 
hard on this issue. I also want to thank the leadership and the 
majority leader, who have personally helped me at every turn.
  Mr. Speaker, this has been one of the most difficult issues I have 
ever dealt with. Let us just think about it for a moment. For 11 days, 
Edmund Pope

[[Page H9588]]

has been in a Russian prison. If my colleagues have not been in a 
Russian prison, I was there a few months ago. It is no place to be.
  He went over there in March on his 27th trip to do business. He was 
arrested on April 3 and thrown in prison. For 13 weeks, his wife never 
received a note from him, a phone call from him or any word. He never 
received one of her letters that she sent daily. Between two countries 
that have normal relations in business, a prisoner never heard from his 
family or was allowed to communicate with his family for 13 weeks.
  In June, Cheri Pope, his wife, and two of my staff went to Russia. 
They found out he did not have a competent lawyer, a 73-year-old lawyer 
that was not considered good; and so they were able to hire him a good 
lawyer who has been very helpful and who started to build a case. It 
was not long before he found out that there was no real case against 
Edmund Pope. In fact, the Russians had never even told us what the case 
was about; it was just that he had committed espionage.
  On August 5, his son was married in State College without his father. 
Then a little later, in August, Cheri Pope, his wife, and I and two of 
my staff returned to Russia. We were able to elevate this issue to an 
international issue. Before that it had not been well covered by the 
press. It was obvious then. And after we arrived there and made it an 
issue, the Russians finally responded and said, well, he was purchasing 
this Squall technology, which had been advertised for sale in 1996 and 
had been sold to other countries, we are told.
  The FSB, who finally gave these details, is like combining our FBI, 
our Secret Service, our CIA, and whatever else, and all combined into 
one. It is the most powerful agency in Russia, and they have been in 
control. This was Ed's 27th visit there. He had had many business 
partnerships there. He had brought many scientists from Russia to 
Pennsylvania, to Penn State. Had taken many groups of scientists to 
Russia to help them in their trying to build a free economic system. He 
loved the Russians, told all his neighbors and friends that I have 
talked to. He was very fond of the Russians and wanted them to have 
economic opportunity like we have here.
  For 17 months, Ed Pope has not had adequate health screenings. Edmund 
Pope, a number of years ago, was diagnosed with bone cancer. It has 
been arrested. He should, from the cancer experts we have talked to, 
have MRI and CT scan screenings every 6 months. It has been 17 months 
now since he has had any screenings.
  In August we had a hearing; and in September we had a hearing on a 
health-related release, and he was turned down. They had the appeal to 
the hearing and asked for him to be seen by an American doctor and have 
the appropriate test and again was turned down. It is now approaching 
mid-October and Edmund Pope has still not had the health screenings 
that he needs.
  If we get Edmund Pope out tomorrow, he may have reactivated cancer 
and he will have a very shortened life. We are still asking every day 
for routine cancer screening. It is available 7 miles from his prison 
in a Russian facility with adequate doctors to read the scans, and we 
again ask for that.
  We know that from talking to his attorney and others there, the FSB-
appointed judge will find him guilty whenever this trial is held. They 
will be given a predetermined verdict. I do not think we in America 
realize how a jury trial and the chance to defend ourselves is so basic 
a fundamental to the rule of law. In Russia, we are told the FSB knows 
how to frame people, but they do not know how to convict people. If it 
was a jury trial, his lawyer says, he would be innocent in a moment. As 
soon as the trial was held, he would be declared innocent and proven 
that he is innocent. But Edmund Pope will not get that chance.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Congress today for their support of 
this resolution and sending a strong message to this administration to 
continue every effort they can put forward. Edmund Pope needs to have 
health screenings so that we know his cancer is still in arrest. We 
need to know that he has not contracted TB, which is prevalent in 
Russian prisons. He has had a cough every time we have spoken to him. 
We are asking for health care first and then his timely release. It is 
time to get Ed Pope home.
  I guess just in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, Edmund Pope is a good man, a 
great American, served his country valiantly, been a good businessman, 
and been good for the Russians; been good for economic relationships 
with them; helped them partner in many business deals and commercialize 
other kinds of technologies they had and helped do some partnerships 
that helped in health care and opticals. Russia should have a lot of Ed 
Popes helping them to build their economy and become part of the global 
economy.
  They need to resolve this issue so we can become friends, work 
together, and not be enemies.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume to compliment again my colleague from Pennsylvania. I think it 
is a good example of a demonstration of what every Member should be 
doing for their constituents, and I want to commend him for that.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith), our distinguished chairman of our Subcommittee on 
International Operations and Human Rights.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time.
  First of all, I rise in very strong support of the Peterson 
resolution, H. Con. Res. 404, calling for the immediate release of 
Edmund Pope from prison in the Russian Federation based on humanitarian 
reasons.
  I think it is very important that the chairman of the House Committee 
on International Relations and the ranking member, the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Gejdenson), have moved very quickly on this resolution to bring it to 
the floor and before our colleagues because this is a very, very 
important resolution of humanitarian concern.
  This resolution calls for the immediate release of Mr. Pope, an 
American citizen arrested for allegedly spying in Russia and, as we 
know, in prison now in Moscow since early April of this year. Mr. Pope 
has been arrested for trying to purchase so-called secret technology 
that had already been advertised for commercial sale.
  Mr. Speaker, I would be the first to agree that countries are 
entitled to protect sensitive information or state secrets; but the 
case against Mr. Pope is without merit. When we consider that the 
Russian Government has already released the alleged co-conspirator in 
this case, it is difficult to understand why Mr. Pope is considered 
such a danger.
  As the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson) so passionately and 
eloquently pointed out, Mr. Pope is seriously ill and the Russian 
Government has not permitted an American physician to even visit him, 
which one might expect on simple humanitarian grounds.
  Mr. Speaker, the Russian Government recently announced that the Pope 
case has been turned over to the court. This may look like progress, 
but experience tells us otherwise. When we look at the long drawn out 
case of Alexandr Nikitin, for whom it took 4\1/2\ years to prove his 
innocence on trumped-up charges of espionage, I believe it is unlikely 
Mr. Pope would survive a lengthy judicial process.
  Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Government has repeatedly raised this case with 
the Russian Government. Why are they not listening? At a recent hearing 
of our Committee on International Relations, our Secretary of State, 
Madeleine Albright, reiterated her conviction this case should be 
resolved quickly in Mr. Pope's favor.
  Finally, I would note that in connection with this case, a Moscow 
radio station stated that the Russian security service often considers 
principles of humanity in deciding whom to release. It seems no other 
person in Russia today fits that definition. This man is sick, he is 
innocent, and he needs to be released.

[[Page H9589]]

  Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson) 
for his great leadership on this case.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Walden), and I want to also thank the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his eloquent response to this important issue.
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
me this time, and I thank both the chairman and the subcommittee 
chairman for their work in bringing this measure forward; and to my 
colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson), I thank him 
for his tireless efforts in trying to seek Mr. Pope's release.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for H. Con. Res. 404 and 
make clear our message to the Russian Government. Edmund Pope must be 
released from prison, and he must be released immediately. Mr. Pope's 
deteriorating health simply will not wait for the Russian Government to 
accept what we in this country have long known: that Ed does not 
deserve his imprisonment and that the Russian Government cannot justify 
holding him one day longer.
  For 191 days, Ed Pope has been denied his freedom. For 191 days, he 
has been denied regular contact with his wife of 30 years and his 
children. And for 191 days, he has been denied access to basic medical 
care, despite grave threats to his health.

                              {time}  2045

  In an age when the access to adequate shelter and medical care is 
correctly viewed as humanity at its most fundamental level, Ed has been 
forced to endure deprivations that are downright abysmal.
  The prison where Mr. Pope is being held is a grim reminder of a 
system of government that for too long has subordinated human rights. 
Ed Pope's harsh imprisonment illustrates Russia's continued hostility 
to the West, despite its repeated assurances that Russia wants to join 
the ranks of the world's civilized nations.
  I am dismayed by President Putin's squandering of an opportunity to 
demonstrate to the nations of the world that a new Russia has indeed 
risen from the ashes of the old Soviet Union, a nation that values 
human rights and the rule of international law. But until Mr. Pope is 
released and the judicial system in Russia improves, this 
transformation will be incomplete.
  If the question of Mr. Pope's guilt or innocence is to be debated, it 
must only be after he is allowed access to the medical care his 
condition demands. With the release of Ed Pope, President Putin can 
demonstrate that he is serious about eliminating the distrust and 
hesitation that has characterized U.S. and Russian relations for 
decades. Or he can continue to prolong Ed's unjust captivity and 
reinforce the negative image of Russia, that of a secretive, enigmatic 
state whose journey to first world status remains long.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.Con.Res. 404 and 
declare in no uncertain terms that the United States does not tolerate 
the treatment of its citizens in this manner.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Peterson) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) for their diligent 
efforts on behalf of Mr. Pope. We are pleased to join with them.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
404.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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