Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04) joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members of Congress in writing to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Administration to do everything in its power to bring Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel home. Fogel, a Pennsylvania native, is a U.S. citizen and career educator who has been imprisoned by Russia since August 2021 for carrying less than an ounce of medical marijuana, which was legally prescribed to him by his doctor to treat severe medical conditions. Since Mr. Fogel was not included in the multi-country prisoner swap that released detainees including Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan earlier this month, the Members are pushing the Administration to prioritize Mr. Fogel's case and to designate him as “wrongfully detained.”
“We write to you with the gravest of concerns regarding the continued detention of Mr. Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen, native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and international educator, and ask that you do everything in your power to bring Marc home,” the Members wrote. “Designating Marc as “wrongfully detained” will underscore the political nature of his continued detention by the Russian government and the failure of humanitarian and other efforts thus far to bring about Marc’s release. It will also demonstrate that the U.S. government considers his case to be of equal importance to similar cases […] Finally, it will bring to the family resources, such as a Family Engagement team, that can consistently support and communicate with Marc’s family.”
Congresswoman Dean and her Pennsylvania colleagues have worked tirelessly to bring Marc Fogel back to his family in Pennsylvania. As news of the multi-country prisoner swap was breaking earlier this month, Rep. Dean urged the Administration to work for Marc Fogel’s release as well.
In July 2023, she joined her colleagues in cosponsoring a bipartisan concurrent resolution calling for the immediate release of Marc Fogel and in October 2022, She sent a letter to Secretary Blinken, calling for Mr. Fogel to be designated as wrongfully detained and brought home.
The letter was led by Senator Casey, and in addition to Congresswoman Dean, was signed by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17).
The full text of the letter to the Secretary of State can be found here.
Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.
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