Sen. Cruz Applauds Release of Amer Fakhoury

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement after the release of Amer Fakhoury, a U.S. citizen held hostage in Lebanon. This comes after Sens. Cruz and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced legislation in February that would impose sanctions against Lebanese officials who are involved in the unlawful detainment, arrest or abuse of any American in Lebanon, as well as on their families and on associates of them and their families.

"The most fundamental responsibility of our government is to protect American citizens at home and abroad," Sen. Cruz said. "During these difficult times, Americans should know that their leaders will stand together to uphold that responsibility. We are all heartened by the release of Amer Fakhoury, an American citizen who was unlawfully seized, falsely charged, and held hostage for months. I'm grateful that Sen. Shaheen and I were able to work side-by-side, along with the President's National Security Council team, to vigorously press Lebanon to do the right thing. With strong American leadership, we can and must do everything possible to keep our citizens safe."

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