[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H653-H654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF MARC FOGEL

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 
release of Pennsylvania schoolteacher Marc Fogel from Russian custody.
  For more than 3\1/2\ years, Marc, a dedicated teacher, loving 
husband, and an American citizen, was unjustly detained in a Russian 
penal colony.
  His punishment of 14 years of hard labor was an excessive and 
politically motivated sentence.
  Despite years of bipartisan pleading with the Biden administration to 
bring Marc home, or at the very least designate him as wrongfully 
detained, there was no progress.
  Enter Donald J. Trump.
  In just 22 days, President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Special Envoy 
Steve Witkoff, and a team of advisers successfully negotiated Marc's 
release.
  Mr. Speaker, Marc Fogel is now back on American soil and reunited 
with his family.

[[Page H654]]

  Promises made, promises kept.
  I thank all of those involved in bringing Marc home.

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