Human Rights

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 »

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission is joining numerous domestic and international organizations from over 100 other countries to celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2011 on May 3. Read more »

Congressman McGovern expresses deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Bahrain. Read more »

Dear Chairman King: We are writing regarding the Homeland Security Committee's upcoming hearings, which you have stated will focus exclusively on radicalization among Muslim Americans and homegrown terrorism. We agree that Congress and all levels of government have a duty to protect America from terrorism, whether from abroad or homegrown. We are, however, deeply concerned that the… Read more »

Statement from Congressmen McGovern, Ellison, Honda, McDermott on the violence in Libya. Read more »

Today, Congressmen Jim McGovern(D-Massachusetts) and Frank Wolf(R-Virginia), co-chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to "emphasize both privately and in public statements that all parties involved should refrain from violence and that any transition should be peaceful and democratic and ensure that human rights and religious freedom are protected." The full text of the letter is below. Read more »

UPDATED: Feb 7 Up-to-date information for American citizens in Egypt. Read more »