McGovern Statement on Chinese Human Rights Activists' Conviction

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Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) today issued the following statement in response to the convictions of four Chinese human rights activists: “Last week, four courageous Chinese human rights activists, including a prominent lawyer, were convicted by a Chinese court of ‘subversion of state power’ for exercising their legal rights and defending those of…

McGovern Statement on Obama Announcement on U.S. Troop Levels in Afghanistan

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Today Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice in the push for stronger Congressional oversight of U.S. military engagement abroad, released the following statement on today’s announcement by President Obama on Afghanistan. “Today, the longest war in American history just got longer. I am deeply disappointed with the…

Bipartisan Group of 24 Lawmakers Calls on Secretary Kerry to Strengthen Peace and Human Rights in Sri Lanka for War Victims

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Today, Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Bill Johnson (R-OH) led a bipartisan group of 24 House lawmakers calling on Secretary John Kerry to continue U.S. efforts to strengthen human rights in Sri Lanka following a 26-year civil war between Sri Lankan government forces and the Tamil population. The bipartisan call comes ahead of a report this week to the U.N. Human Rights Council on…

U.S. Members of Congress Remember British MP Jo Cox, Stand United For Tolerance and Diversity

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Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, led by Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), released a statement yesterday, on the day that would have been MP Jo Cox’s 42nd birthday, expressing sadness at her brutal killing and warning against the fear, hate, and divisive rhetoric in our society today. This comes on the heels…

U.S. Rep. McGovern Statement on Colombia Bilateral Ceasefire Signing in Havana

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Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and co-chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, released the following statement on the Colombia Bilateral Ceasefire signing expected to take place in Havana, Cuba tomorrow. “Today’s historic signing of a bilateral cease-fire between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas brings Colombia to…

Bipartisan Group of 120 Lawmakers Call on President Obama to Keep Sudan Humanitarian Crisis a High Priority

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Today a bipartisan group of 120 members of Congress is calling on President Obama to re-prioritize peace, accountability and protection of civilians in Sudan during his final year in office. The bipartisan letter is led by Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Joseph Pitts (R-PA), co-chairs of a bipartisan Congressional human rights commission, and the co-chairs of the bipartisan Sudan and…

Members of Congress Urge Secretary Kerry to Push for Investigation of Murder of Honduran Human Rights Defender Berta Cceres

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Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) – co-chair of a bipartisan Congressional human rights commission – and Representatives Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) are joined by 55 Members of Congress in calling for the involvement of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the investigation into the March 3, 2016 killing…

McGovern Honors Finca Vigia Foundation, U.S.-Cuba Collaboration to Restore and Preserve Cuban Home of Ernest Hemingway

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Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice in the push for normalizing U.S.-Cuba relations, spoke on the House floor today to honor the Finca Vigia Foundation, based in Massachusetts. The foundation is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Americans and Cubans to help restore and protect the home, documents, and related materials of Ernest…

McGovern Statement on Pentagon Response to U.S. Airstrike on Afghanistan Hospital

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Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice on human rights, released the following statement in response to the announcement that the Defense Department has disciplined 16 service members for mistakes that led to the October 2015 U.S. airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan. The bombing killed 42 and injured 43, including…

With President Obama in Saudi Arabia Today, Bipartisan Group of House Lawmakers Calls for President to Meet Human Rights Groups

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As President Obama visits Saudi Arabia today, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) – a leading voice in Congress on human rights – joined Congressman Joe Pitts (R-PA) in leading a bipartisan letter with 17 House lawmakers calling for President Obama to meet with representatives of civil society and human rights advocates, including those who may be currently in prison or their…