{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.budd.senate.gov/2026/03/25/budd-kaine-lead-bipartisan-letter-urging-president-trump-to-advocate-for-pastor-ezra-jins-release/", "Budd, Kaine Lead Bipartisan Letter Urging President Trump to Advocate for Pastor Ezra Jin\u2019s Release Ahead of U.S.-China Summit", "2026-03-25", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Ted Budd", "B001305", "www.budd.senate.gov", "budd", "https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "Reps. Riley Moore and Thomas Suozzi lead letter in the House\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) Tim Kaine (D-Va.), alongside U.S. Representatives Riley Moore (R-W.Va.-02) and Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.-03), led twenty-nine of their colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Trump advocating for the release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, lead pastor of Zion Church, ahead of the President\u2019s upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping, President of the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC). Lawmakers also called President Trump\u2019s attention to the many other Christian leaders imprisoned in China due to the PRC\u2019s violent crackdown on unsanctioned churches. Additionally, the lawmakers urged the Administration to use authorities under the International Religious Freedom Act to impose targeted sanctions and visa restrictions to address severe violations of religious freedom in China.\n\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote, \u201cWe encourage you to advocate for their release and request the PRC to allow Mr. Jin to leave China, in addition to raising concerns regarding the ongoing unjust imprisonment and persecution of Christians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs, among other religious and ethnic minority groups across China. \u2026\n\n\u201cThese abuses include arbitrary detentions, lengthy prison sentences, forced closures of places of worship, destruction of religious property, and surveillance and intimidation of clergy and congregants. \u2026\n\n\u201cThrough the International Religious Freedom Act, the Administration is empowered to use targeted sanctions and increase reporting and diplomatic engagement to support your efforts to address severe violations of individuals\u2019 right to freedom of religion.\u201d\n\nU.S. Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined in signing the letter.\n\nAdditionally, U.S. Representatives John Rose (R-Tenn.-06), Young Kim (R-Calif.-40), Mar\u00eda Salazar (R-Fla.-27), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.-02), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Barry Moore (R-Ala.-01), Tim Moore (R-N.C.-14), and Addison McDowell (R-N.C.-06) joined in signing the letter.\n\nRead the full letter text HERE or below:\n\nDear President Trump,\n\nAs you prepare to meet with President Xi Jinping next month, we urge you to seek resolution of the case of Ezra Jin Mingri, a pastor and family member of American citizens, who was arbitrarily detained on October 10, 2025, alongside other leaders of the Zion Church by the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC). We encourage you to advocate for their release and request the PRC to allow Mr. Jin to leave China, in addition to raising concerns regarding the ongoing unjust imprisonment and persecution of Christians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs, among other religious and ethnic minority groups across China.\n\nThe United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the U.S. Department of State, and religious freedom and human rights organizations have long documented violations of religious freedom targeting Christian communities and other religious groups across China. These abuses include arbitrary detentions, lengthy prison sentences, forced closures of places of worship, destruction of religious property, and surveillance and intimidation of clergy and congregants.\n\nThe United States has made important strides in advancing international religious freedom. Through the International Religious Freedom Act, the Administration is empowered to use targeted sanctions and increase reporting and diplomatic engagement to support your efforts to address severe violations of individuals\u2019 right to freedom of religion.\n\nAccordingly, we urge you to:\n\nSeek resolution of the case of Ezra Jin Mingri and other leaders of the Zion Church, Yayang Church, Light of Zion Church, and Early Rain Covenant Church while advocating for the release of all Christians and other religious groups unjustly imprisoned or detained for their religious beliefs with President Xi next month.\n\nUtilize existing authorities, including targeted sanctions and visa restrictions, against individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom.\n\nContinue to champion international religious freedom, including in U.S.\u2013China policy.\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this important matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n/X/\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.budd.senate.gov/2026/03/25/budd-kaine-lead-bipartisan-letter-urging-president-trump-to-advocate-for-pastor-ezra-jins-release/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.945534884929657, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}