On December 8, 2022, Brittney Griner was released from a Russian prison in exchange for Viktor Bout, the "Merchant of Death," one of the world’s most dangerous and infamous arms dealers. She had been unjustly held by Vladimir Putin for 10 months, and we were glad to see her back in the United States – albeit in a rather lopsided swap deal.
While in captivity, Griner wrote to President Biden, urging him to "please don’t forget about me and the other American detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home."
He didn’t forget about her. Griner was promptly designated as "wrongfully detained" less than three months following her arrest and brought back to America by the end of the year.
Alongside the president at the White House, Biden proclaimed his administration is "going to continue to work to bring home every American who continues to endure such an injustice."
To be frank: That hasn’t happened.
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A year has passed since those empty words were spoken, and our Pittsburgh-area communities are still waiting for Marc Fogel, a local teacher serving 14 years in a hard labor Russian penal colony on bogus charges, to be released.
Marc has been detained overseas for much longer, since August 2021, in a similar case to Brittney Griner. During a routine stop at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Russia, he was stopped with medical marijuana, which had been prescribed to him for chronic back pain. Sadly, his case has not generated the same White House appeal as a well-known WNBA basketball player.
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Marc meets at least six of the 11 established criteria to be designated as wrongfully detained. Why has he not been designated after more than two years? Our Pennsylvania congressional delegation is working to get answers.
We recently authored legislation to urge the State Department to bring Marc home – and ensure all Americans receive the same treatment, regardless of a person’s prominence or ideology. The bill, the Marc Fogel Act, requires more transparency from the State Department to Congress on how wrongful detainment determinations are made.
Here’s why it’s needed.
Throughout Marc’s detainment, the State Department has repeatedly failed to inform Congress of their efforts and to provide basic, routine updates to the Fogel family on his status. This is unbelievable, considering the urgency, dedication, and speed deployed to secure Griner’s release.
Here in the House, we have stayed in close contact with Marc’s family, frequently updating them on our efforts to bring him home. Sadly, Marc is not the only American being unjustly held in Russia.
Former Marine Paul Whelan is serving a 16-year prison sentence; Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is currently awaiting trial; and countless other Americans are also holding out hope that President Biden and his administration will put forth the same effort afforded to Griner.
No matter the circumstances, we are committed to doing everything possible for Marc Fogel and his family so they may be reunited here in Pennsylvania.
The president vowed to do the same. It’s time for him to follow through on his promise.
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler is a Republican who represents Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District.
