Sen. Cruz Applauds Senate Passage of His Resolution Calling for the Chinese Communist Party to Release Mark Swidan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today applauded the Senate for unanimously passing his resolution calling for the release of Mark Swidan, a Houston, Texas resident who has been unjustly detained by the Chinese Communist Party and sentenced to death.

Senator Cruz secured unanimous passage of the resolution. View his speech here. 

Sen. Cruz said:

“Today, the Senate sent a powerful, unified message to the Chinese Communist Party. They must release Mark Swidan. Their detainment and sentencing are outrageous, unjust, and must come to an end. This hostage-taking is how Third World dictatorships act. The United States must use all of the tools at our disposal to bring Mark Swidan home.” 

Sen. Cruz has repeatedly advocated for Mark Swidan’s release, and has urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the White House to take urgent action to secure Swidan’s release. Sen. Cruz regularly engages administration and Chinese officials to bring Mark Swidan home. Read the resolution here.

Sen. Cruz has sought to shine a light and speak out for Americans unjustly detained all over the world, including the Citgo Six in Venezuela, and Americans held in Iran, Russia, and China. He is the foremost advocate in the U.S. Senate for securing the freedom of Americans unlawfully detained in other countries, and fights for imprisoned dissidents against tyranny around the world. 

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