Human Rights

WASHINGTON – Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) will join Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA), Filemon Vela (D-TX) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), and 16 other Democratic Members of Congress who are traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border near McAllen and Brownsville, Texas tomorrow, July 13th. Many of the members are returning to the site of an investigation last summer into the conditions and treatment of migrants at several Department of Homeland Security facilities. The Members will be briefed by ... Read More »

WORCESTER, MA – Today, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued the following statement supporting the people of Sudan and their right to peacefully protest: “We continue to stand with the peaceful protesters in Sudan who are exercising their fundamental right to be heard. It has been nearly 100 days since Omar al-Bashir was ousted. It is now long past time for the Transitional Military C... Read More »

"The American people are sick and tired of endless wars." Read More »

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued this statement following threats by the Transitional Military Council against the peaceful movement in support of civilian government in Sudan: “When Sudan’s military ousted Omar al Bashir, it claimed to do so in support of the people and their demand for change, and for peace. But in the past few weeks, civilians have been kill... Read More »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives James McGovern (D-MA), John Lewis (D-GA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) led 79 House Democrats in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to express their grave concern about the implementation of the 2016 Colombia Peace Accords and continuing escalation of murders and attacks against human rights defenders and social leaders. The letter urges Secretary Pompeo to communicate unwavering American support for the three elements of the transitional justic... Read More »

Text of Letter (PDF) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a bipartisan, bicameral group of 92 lawmakers led by Representative James McGovern (D-MA) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Todd Young (R-IN), along with Representatives Ann Wagner (R-MO), Karen Bass (D-CA), and Chris Smith (R-NJ), sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin expressing deep concern about the current situation in Sudan and urging support for a rapid transfer of power to a civilian-l... Read More »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, issued the following statement in recognition of the 30th birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibetan Buddhism: “Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama at the age of six on May 15, 1995. Two days later, the Chinese government forcibly disappear... Read More »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, released this statement following the Trump Administration’s announcement that they would fully enforce Title III of the Helms-Burton Act: “Today’s announcement by the Trump Administration is just plain stupid. It undercuts the emerging private sector in Cuba, which the Trump Administration still pretends to support. It alienates... Read More »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-MA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, joined nearly 240 other Members of Congress in introducing the Equality Act of 2019 – a historic bill to state unequivocally that LGBTQ Americans deserve the full protections guaranteed by the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equality Act extends anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ Americans with regard to employment, education, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, housi... Read More »

BOSTON — President Donald Trump “thinks he is a dictator,” U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern said Friday as he predicted that both Congress and the courts will react to Trump’s announcement that he is declaring a national emergency at the southern border. McGovern, speaking to WGBH’s “Morning Edition” on Friday, said he hopes the U.S. House and Senate will pass resolutions disapproving of the president’s action with enough support from Republicans to override a potential presidential veto. “I think the pre... Read More »