[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 204 (Thursday, December 3, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6090-H6092]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF TREVOR REED
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1115) calling for the immediate release of Trevor
Reed, a United States citizen who was unjustly sentenced to 9 years in
a Russian prison, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1115
Whereas United States citizen Trevor Reed is a resident of
Granbury, Texas, and a United States Marine Corps veteran;
Whereas Trevor Reed traveled to Moscow to visit his
girlfriend on May 16, 2019;
Whereas Moscow's Police Service detained Trevor Reed on
August 16, 2019;
Whereas Trevor Reed was accused of grabbing the arm of the
police officer driving the vehicle and elbowing another
officer while en route to the police station, causing the
vehicle to swerve and therefore endangering the lives of the
police officers;
Whereas the United States Embassy in Moscow has filed
numerous diplomatic complaints with the Russian Foreign
Ministry regarding Trevor Reed being denied consular access,
communications, medical treatment, family visitations, and
other violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular
Relations;
Whereas Trevor Reed's defense team presented video evidence
from traffic camera footage to the courts that disproves the
police officers' statements of supposed endangerment and
wrongdoing;
Whereas Trevor Reed's defense team was denied access to
additional video evidence from the police vehicle and police
station that had the potential to prove his innocence;
Whereas the police officers claimed emotional and physical
damages, but did not sustain any visible injury, or claim any
time missed from work;
Whereas the Constitutional Supreme Court of the Russian
Federation and the Second Court of Cassation of General
Jurisdiction concurred that Russian procedural law was
violated in the way that Trevor Reed's bail was revoked;
Whereas the United States Embassy in Moscow has filed
complaints with the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding denial
of communications with Trevor Reed;
Whereas during the trial, the defense counsel presented 59
minutes of traffic camera video that showed the police car--
(1) did not change direction or leave its lane;
(2) did not swerve; and
(3) did not stop or slow down;
Whereas, on July 30, 2020, Golovinsky District Court Judge
Arnout read a verdict that dismissed all defense evidence,
witnesses, and government experts and included information
from the investigator's case files that were not discussed or
read into the court files;
Whereas the judge sentenced Trevor Reed to 9 years in
prison camp and was ordered to pay 100,000 rubles to each
police officer for moral and physical injuries;
Whereas Trevor Reed had already been detained in Russia for
1 year at the time of the judge's verdict; and
Whereas, the United States Ambassador to Russia, John
Sullivan, upon Trevor's sentencing, stated that the
prosecution's case and the evidence presented against Mr.
Reed were ``so preposterous that they provoked laughter in
the courtroom'', the conviction and sentence were
``ridiculous'', and ``justice was not even considered'': Now,
therefore, be it--
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses support for Trevor Reed, Paul Whelan, and all
prisoners unjustly imprisoned in the Russian Federation;
(2) condemns the practice of politically motivated
imprisonment in the Russian Federation, which violates the
commitments of the Russian Federation to international
obligations with respect to human rights and the rule of law;
(3) urges the United States Government, in all its
interactions with the Government of the Russian Federation,
to raise the case of Trevor Reed and to press for his
release;
(4) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to
immediately release Trevor Reed and all other prisoners
arrested for political motivations;
(5) urges the Government of the Russian Federation to
provide unrestricted consular access to Trevor Reed while he
remains in detention as required under the Vienna Convention
on Consular Relations;
(6) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation--
(A) to provide Trevor Reed any necessary medical treatment
and personal protective equipment;
(B) to notify the United States Embassy in Moscow of any
medical problems or complaints that arise during his
detention; and
(C) to provide the United States Embassy in Moscow with
full access to all of Trevor Reed's medical records;
(7) urges the Government of the Russian Federation to
respect Trevor Reed's universally recognized human rights;
and
(8) expresses support to the family of Trevor Reed and
commitment to bringing Trevor Reed home.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H. Res. 1115.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1115, calling for
the immediate release of Trevor Reed.
I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Conaway, for introducing this
bipartisan resolution.
In 2019, U.S. citizen and former Marine Trevor Reed traveled to
Russia. While on his trip, Moscow's Police Service detained and held
Reed for over a year. On July 30, 2020, Reed was convicted of trumped-
up assault charges and sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison camp.
During his sham of a trial, Mr. Speaker, traffic camera footage
disproved the charges, and even the Russian judge laughed at the
prosecution's absurd attempts to provide evidence. Despite this, Trevor
Reed's defense team was denied access to additional video footage from
the police vehicle and station that could have provided further proof
of his innocence.
While it is no surprise that Putin and his cronies didn't conduct a
fair trial, it is appalling that Trevor is being held without medical
treatment during a global pandemic and being denied consular access and
communication with his family.
H. Res. 1115 not only calls for the immediate release of Trevor, but
expresses support for all unjustly detained prisoners in Russia and
urges U.S. officials to raise Trevor's case during all interactions
with the Russian Government. The resolution also demands that Russia
provide the regular consular access and proper medical care afforded to
Trevor through the Vienna Convention.
Again, I thank Mr. Conaway for his commitment to bringing Trevor, a
fellow Texan, home.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Trevor Reed is a 29-year-old Texas resident and former
United States Marine who served his country with distinction. He was an
Eagle Scout and a Texas Rangers fan, a dedicated son and brother.
[[Page H6091]]
He is not a criminal; yet the Putin regime treated him like one,
sentencing him to 9 years in a Russian prison for a crime he did not
commit. In fact, Trevor was only charged with a fabricated crime after
the Russian police discovered that he was a former U.S. Marine and,
thus, in their eyes, a political pawn that could be used.
The evidence presented in the courtroom during his case was so flimsy
that it induced laughter from those in the room, including the Russian
judge. What a joke.
So I stand here today once again to call for Trevor Reed's immediate
release so he can return home to his family, where he belongs.
This is an issue very close to my heart. Just a few months ago,
Trevor's mother flew out to D.C. to join me and Congressman Conaway as
we introduced this resolution. Paula told us how her son was attending
college in pursuit of the American Dream before Putin took that away
from him. And she told us how her husband, Joey Reed, spends most of
his time in Russia, working every single day to bring his son home
where he belongs.
As a father of five myself, I cannot imagine being in their shoes,
knowing their son is suffering in a Russian prison for a crime he did
not commit and feeling helpless to do anything about it.
Mr. Speaker, Paula and Joey and Trevor, they need us. They need their
Congressmen and -women to fight for them today.
Passing this resolution will send a strong message to Putin and his
cronies that America will not stand by idly as they hold American
citizens as political pawns, including Michael Calvey and Paul Whelan.
It will demonstrate that Congress stands firmly with Trevor, Paula,
Joey, and their entire family, along with the other American hostages
abroad, and that we will continue to fight until we bring Trevor home
and give him back his future.
The holiday season is here upon us once again, and Trevor deserves to
spend this Christmas with his family in the comfort of his home, not
alone in a cold prison cell.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, if I can take a point of personal privilege,
this may be perhaps the last time I appear with my dear friend Mike
Conaway on this distinguished floor. We came in together, Mr. Speaker,
with you, as well. I remember it 16 years ago. My, has time gone fast.
But the time you have served, Mike, in this Congress and spoken in
this Chamber, as you chaired the Agriculture Committee and served on
the House Intelligence Committee, sir, let me just say how proud I am
to call you a friend. You have served your country and your
constituents with honor and distinction, and I am proud to have served
with you and proud to call you a friend.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Conaway), the sponsor of this bill.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas for
yielding and for those very kind words. I thank Chairman Engel and Mr.
McCaul, the ranking member, for bringing this resolution forward.
I rise today in strong support of the passage of my resolution
calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed.
For the past 475 days, Trevor Reed, an eighth-generation Texan, Eagle
Scout, and, more importantly, a United States Marine veteran, has been
held in a Russian prison camp for crimes he did not commit.
The Putin regime is clearly using Trevor as a political pawn. If they
do not release him, he will be forced to serve an additional 9 years in
a Russian prison camp, making it almost 10 years, total, that Trevor
and his family will endure this nightmare.
Trevor was initially detained by Moscow's Police Service in August of
2019 for public intoxication, but after the Russian intelligence agency
identified him as a U.S. Marine, they upped the charge, now accusing
him with endangering the lives of two police officers.
{time} 1700
Their claims were undeniably disproved by Trevor's defense team. The
accusation, and the lack of evidence to support it, was so absurd that
even the Russian judge erupted in laughter during his trial. Yet the
judge disregarded all evidence, witnesses, and government experts by
choosing to sentence Trevor to the harshest punishment ever given for
this alleged crime in this particular classification.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened our Nation and bullied our
allies around the globe. His antagonism and animosity towards our
country, our people, and our ideals holds no bounds.
We are now seeing our own innocent citizens and their families caught
in the middle of Putin's reprehensible political games.
Mr. Speaker, an entire decade of this man's life is at stake. I urge
my colleagues to support this resolution with a strong message to
Vladimir Putin: the House of Representatives solidly stands against an
American citizen being used as a political pawn. Free Trevor Reed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his kind words again.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger).
Mr. KINZINGER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
thank the chairman and the ranking member for bringing this to the
floor.
When we think about Russian prisons, we don't often think about
justice because, frankly, justice is at the whim of Vladimir Putin, the
man who poisons citizens on NATO territory and uses the bludgeon of a
hammer to actually get his will and power.
So sometimes I think when we as Americans look at our political
debates, we look at it as a form of dysfunction when, in reality, while
the debate can be dysfunctional, it is very functional that we are
having them.
But in this case, I think it needs to be clear that we stand up for
American citizens no matter what, and we don't care what their
political stripes are when they are detained by somebody like Vladimir
Putin.
This resolution calls for the immediate release of Trevor Reed. He is
a U.S. citizen, he is a Marine Corps veteran, and he was unjustly
sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison.
He has been detained for over a year now on baseless charges filed
through an overtly corrupt trial.
His lawyers have been denied access to the so-called evidence that
the Russian authorities used to detain Trevor.
After speaking with his mother, I have learned that his family has
had a difficult time talking to him on the phone, limited interaction,
because the authorities will not let Trevor communicate in English and
they give him only a few calls home.
It is an abuse of power and it is a clear attempt by the Russians to
make an example of Trevor, an American, and this must be rectified
immediately.
Mr. Speaker, I applaud my colleagues for bringing up this important
measure to the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Conaway and I thank the chair and ranking
member. I thank Chairman Engel for his many, many years of service as
well on the committee and in this House.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank my friend and fellow Texan,
Representative Conaway, who represents the family, for introducing this
important resolution.
I have engaged the highest levels of government in this case,
Trevor's case, from Deputy Secretary Biegun to Special Envoy for
Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens.
And now I am proud to join many of my colleagues and fellow Texans
from both sides of the aisle in supporting this resolution and raising
more awareness about Trevor's case.
So to Trevor and the Reed family, I would just like to say to you
that Texas is with you and America is with you. We will stand by you
and with you here in the Congress every day until we finally bring
Trevor home.
So, again, Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend, Congressman Conaway,
who sponsored the legislation. I thank Chairman Engel.
Another point of personal privilege: I think that this will not be
the last day
[[Page H6092]]
we speak on the floor. I believe on Monday we will have another
opportunity to be together, and I would love to deliver some special
remarks about my favorite chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for
the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Mr. Conaway for his work on this
bipartisan measure that calls on the Russian Government to drop the
trumped-up charges against Trevor Reed and immediately release him from
prison.
Trevor and all those unjustly detained in Russia deserve to be
released and safely reunited with their families for this holiday
season.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this measure and I urge all
Members to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, let me comment on my friend's remarks. It has been a
pleasure for me to work with Mr. McCaul as the ranking member of the
committee and when he was the chairman. We have done incredible work on
our committee, both Democrats and Republicans, working together in a
bipartisan way. I am very proud of the work we have all done and very
proud of the work I have done personally with Mr. McCaul. I know we are
going to continue to fight the good fight, because we stand for
something. We are so blessed to live in this country, and we want to
make sure that other people get the same kinds of freedoms that we
have.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I support this measure, and I urge all Members to
do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1115, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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