U.S. Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Mike Crapo, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, released a statement on May 7 marking Hostage Week and urging efforts to free Stephen Hubbard, who is detained in Russia.
The senators said that Hostage Week brings Americans together to show support for those wrongfully detained abroad. "This Hostage Week, Americans across the country come together to send a unified message to those who are wrongfully detained around the world: we have not forgotten you and we never will," Risch and Crapo said.
They highlighted the case of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old with ties to Idaho who is currently held in a Russian prison. The senators said his health is declining and stressed their commitment to securing his release. "We will do everything in our power to ensure his release, including working alongside the Administration to punish Russia and other bad actors who take Americans hostage. Through penalties under the Countering Wrongful Detention Act, we will show these nations that Americans aren’t to be messed with abroad, used for hostage diplomacy, or any other evil cause. This practice must end," they said.
Risch and Crapo also thanked advocates visiting Washington this week on behalf of detainees' families. "We thank all hostage and wrongful detention advocates who took the time to visit Washington this week to advocate for their loved ones’ release. We stand with you. We look forward to shaking the hands of Mr. Hubbard and other wrongful detainees on that happy future day when they are released, but until then we will continue our work," they said.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee develops U.S. foreign policy through reviewing treaties and legislation; it was established in 1816 as one of the original standing committees of the Senate according to its official website. The committee's chairman leads majority members while its ranking member heads minority members as detailed on its official website.
