Human Rights

Today, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Congressman John Conyers, Congressman Barney Frank, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Congressman Jared Polis, Congressman David N. Cicilline and other House Democrats filed an Amicus Brief in the consolidated case of Massachusetts v. Dept. of… Read more »

Fortenberry, McGovern Comment on White House LRA Announcement Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and Congressman Jim McGovern today commented on the announcement from the White House this morning concerning the Department of Defense's new effort to combat the Lord's Resistance Army in central Africa. -Through over 20 years of civil war, the brutal insurgency has created a humanitarian… Read more »

M. Chairman, the Colombia FTA is bad for American workers; bad for jobs; and bad for Colombian workers, small farmers and human rights defenders. Read more »

Wyden and McGovern Introduce Resolutions Blocking Arms Sale to Bahrain U.S. is set to sell $53 million in weaponry to regime violently suppressing protests. As the Arab Spring spread across the Arab world, ordinary citizens in the Kingdom of Bahrain began to rise up and demand political and economic rights from their government. The ruling family, members of a powerful Sunni… Read more »

U.S. Rep. McGovern called for better accounting and oversight of U.S. Aid to Colombia's Department of Administrative Services in a floor speech this morning, as well as in a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cosigned by U.S. Rep. Janice Schakowsky. A copy of McGovern's remarks as prepared, and the letter are below. Read more »

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Co-Chairs James P. McGovern (MA) and Frank R. Wolf (VA) today endorsed President Obama's directive aimed at both preventing mass atrocities and prohibiting human rights violators from the privilege of entering the United States. Read more »

Currently, some 11.5 million people across East Africa urgently need food aid, medical supplies and care. More than 130,000 Somali refugees have left their country for refugee camps along the borders of Ethiopia and Kenya. They arrive exhausted and physically depleted. News reports estimate that about 1300 Somali refugees arrive in northern Kenya every single day. They join already overcrowded camps, and stress the ability of the Kenyan government and humanitarian agencies to provide food, water, emergency care and shelter. Read more »

In a floor speech on Thursday, U.S. Rep. McGovern demanded that human and labor rights are given time to take effect before the Colombia Free Trade Agreement is taken up for a vote. Read more »

From remarks delivered at Boston's South Sudan Indepedence Celebration. Read more »

Miller and McGovern: Reports that Colombia FTA Will Be Sent to Congress Without Labor Rights Action Plan Gravely Disappointing Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and James McGovern (D-MA) issued the following joint statement today after reports that the Obama administration is intending to send the Colombian trade agreement to Congress without including language that would incorporate… Read more »