[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 27, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H7238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1830
                  FREE BRITTNEY GRINER AND PAUL WHELAN

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, last week, I viewed a wall that 
showed Brittney Griner and a list of hostages, American citizens, held 
around the world.
  A few weeks ago, the United States House went on record to demand the 
release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
  I have always argued that the sovereignty of the United States should 
insist on the freedom of its citizens. Now, we find that it has been 
made public what we have known and what we have pressed for: The United 
States is actively negotiating to bring Brittney, BG, and Paul Whelan 
home.
  It is crucial to let it be known that we are negotiating with an 
entity that does not want to be fair. So, we demand that Russia be fair 
and negotiate the freedom of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
  She sits in a cage, a cage when they transport her and a cage when 
she is in trial. Obviously, the case is that this was a mistake, and 
there is no basis for her conviction. We know that everyone that goes 
to trial in Russia is convicted, found guilty.
  Free her now. Free Paul Whelan.
  As I close, I acknowledge the Americans with Disabilities Act on its 
32nd anniversary. It is an important law.

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