[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 121 (Thursday, July 21, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S3613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 716--CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF BRITTNEY 
GRINER, A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO WAS WRONGFULLY DETAINED BY 
       THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN FEBRUARY 2022

  Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Sinema, 
Mr. Warnock, Mr. Markey, Mr. Van Hollen, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Mr. 
Brown, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Casey, Mr. Kaine, 
Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Warren, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Booker, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Bennet, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Peters, Mr. Padilla, 
Mr. Coons, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations.:

                              S. Res. 716

       Whereas United States citizen Brittney Griner is a Women's 
     National Basketball Association (referred to in this preamble 
     as ``WNBA'') player;
       Whereas Brittney Griner and her wife, Cherelle, are 
     residents of Phoenix, Arizona, and are well respected leaders 
     in that community;
       Whereas Brittney Griner was raised in Houston, Texas, and 
     many of her family members live in Texas;
       Whereas after a prolific collegiate career at Baylor 
     University, Brittney Griner was selected with the first 
     overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, 
     where she has played her entire WNBA career;
       Whereas during her WNBA career, Brittney Griner has been 
     named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year twice and has 
     been a WNBA All Star 7 times;
       Whereas Brittney Griner represented the United States as a 
     member of the United States Women's National Basketball Team 
     at 2 Olympics, where she helped Team USA win gold medals in 
     each appearance;
       Whereas Brittney Griner is an international figure who has 
     played 7 seasons of professional basketball in Russia for 
     UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off season;
       Whereas Brittney Griner is a renowned leader in the LGBTQ+ 
     community;
       Whereas Brittney Griner has made a difference in the lives 
     of many Arizonans, including through her annual ``BG's Heart 
     and Sole Shoe Drive'', which has provided shoes to nearly 
     2,000 people who are experiencing homelessness in the Phoenix 
     area;
       Whereas the Phoenix Mercury and the Phoenix Rescue Mission 
     are continuing this important effort to clothe the homeless 
     in Brittney Griner's absence;
       Whereas Brittney Griner was presumably detained by Russian 
     authorities at Sheremetyevo Alexander S. Pushkin 
     International Airport in Khimki, Russia, on February 17, 
     2022, and accused of carrying vape cartridges with hashish 
     oil;
       Whereas Russian authorities opened a criminal case against 
     Brittney Griner for the alleged transportation of drugs, a 
     crime which can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years;
       Whereas, on March 17, 2022, a Russian court denied a 
     request for bail and house arrest for Brittney Griner, and 
     has since extended her detention until July 2, 2022;
       Whereas the Department of State has determined that 
     Brittney Griner is ``wrongfully detained''; and
       Whereas the Biden Administration has pledged to return 
     Brittney Griner back to the United States as soon as 
     possible: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to 
     immediately release Brittney Griner;
       (2) urges the United States, in all interactions with the 
     Government of the Russian Federation, to raise the case of 
     Brittney Griner and to press for her release;
       (3) expresses the continued support for Paul Whelan and all 
     prisoners unjustly imprisoned in the Russian Federation;
       (4) urges the Government of the Russian Federation to 
     provide consular access to Brittney Griner while she remains 
     in detention;
       (5) urges the Government of the Russian Federation to 
     respect the human rights of Brittney Griner; and
       (6) expresses support to the family of Brittney Griner and 
     a commitment to bringing her home.

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