Washington, D.C. – Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania) celebrated Pennsylvanian Marc Fogel’s release from Russia today and thanked President Trump for returning him to American soil. For months, Senator McCormick has continually advocated on behalf of the Fogel family, urging the Administration to bring Marc home safely.
“I am thrilled that Marc Fogel is finally coming home after years of being wrongfully held in Russia,” Senator McCormick said. “I have been working on this since meeting Marc’s mother at the Butler rally in July, and I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for delivering on their commitment to free Marc. As I told Marc’s mom, Mafa, when we first met, we would do everything possible to get Marc home. It is a blessing that this day has finally come.”
In public hearings and in private meetings with administration officials, Senator McCormick has prioritized Marc’s case. During his second week as a Senator, McCormick met with then-Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio to discuss Fogel’s case, later raising it again during Mr. Rubio’s public confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was McCormick’s very first question at a hearing after arriving in the Senate, and Rubio committed to securing Marc’s freedom. Senator McCormick likewise spoke with Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, to discuss Fogel’s case and advocate for his release.
Senator McCormick also led a bipartisan, bicameral letter with Senator John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) urging Secretary Rubio to “unlock all of the tools at the U.S. Government’s disposal to advocate for Marc’s release.” Eleven members of the Pennsylvania House delegation signed on, including Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA-7), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-8), Dan Meuser (R-PA-9), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17).
“I am thankful that President Trump made Marc Fogel’s release a high priority. In just 22 days in office, his Administration was able to secure a safe release. I could not be happier that Marc Fogel’s 95-year-old mother, Mafa, will get to hug her son again.”
Marc Fogel, a schoolteacher from Butler, Pennsylvania, was wrongfully detained at Sheremetyevo Airport in 2021, while he and his wife, Jane, were returning to teach at the Anglo-American School-Moscow, where they had worked since 2012. In June 2022, the Russian court sentenced Marc to 14 years in a high-security penal colony without a clear path home.
Contact: Meghan Rodgers, meghan_rodgers@mccormick.senate.gov
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