{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.budd.senate.gov/2026/09/25/budd-markey-lead-bipartisan-resolution-condemning-chinas-wrongful-detention-of-american-academics/", "Budd, Markey Lead Bipartisan Resolution Condemning China\u2019s Wrongful Detention of American Academics", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Ted Budd", "B001305", "www.budd.senate.gov", "budd", "https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) were joined by Senators John Curtis (R-Utah) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in introducing a bipartisan resolution condemning the People\u2019s Republic of China\u2019s (PRC) repeated pattern of arbitrary or wrongful detention of American academics. The resolution urges the United States government to prioritize the safe return of all American citizens wrongfully detained in China. U.S. Representatives Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08) and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.-02) led a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party\u2019s pattern of unjustly detaining innocent Americans on baseless allegations cannot carry on unchecked. It is long past time for the CCP to return American academics Dr. Youlin Chen and Mr. Min Zin home to their loved ones and end the targeting of American citizens. I am proud to stand with Senator Markey and my colleagues, as a bipartisan front, against these escalatory actions,\u201d said Senator Budd.\n\n\u201cThe wrongful detainment of innocent civilians is never justifiable and should always be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We owe it to the American people to stand up and speak out when our citizens are wrongfully detained in foreign prisons. It is my hope that this bipartisan resolution from the United States Congress will bring increased attention to the unjust detention of Dr. Youlin Chen and Min Zin and force the Chinese government to do the right thing and release them immediately. I am praying for Dr. Chen, Mr. Zin, and their families today,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\n\u201cChina\u2019s repeated and cruel pattern of wrongful detentions of American citizens, leaving some without access to legal counsel, is nothing short of an affront to the rule of law and infringes on their rights and freedoms. The U.S. government must redouble its efforts to ensure U.S. citizens unjustly detained abroad, like Min Zin and Dr. Chen, return safely back home to their loved ones,\u201d said Senator Schiff.\n\nRead the full bill text HERE.\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nThe resolution:\n\n\u2022 Condemns the PRC\u2019s repeated pattern of arbitrary or wrongful detention of United States citizens.\n\n\u2022 Urges the Secretary of State to use all available tools to press for the release of all United States nationals being unlawfully or wrongfully detained in the PRC.\n\n\u2022 Urges the United States government to make the safe return of United States citizens detained in China a top priority, including the return of Dr. Chen and Min Zin:\n\nOn November 5, 2024, PRC authorities arrested Dr. Chen, an American academic who has conducted transparent, open-source seismological research in cooperation with Chinese academics. Despite this high level of engagement, the PRC has held him in detention for more than 600 days without a trial or access to his family on baseless espionage charges.\n\nOn June 3, 2026, PRC authorities detained Mr. Zin, the executive director of a Myanmar-focused policy think tank, at Kunming Changshui International Airport. His arrest occurred after he received an invitation to attend an academic event at a university in China\u2019s Yunnan province. Mr. Zin remains in detention without access to legal counsel.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"]], "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/2026/09/25/budd-markey-lead-bipartisan-resolution-condemning-chinas-wrongful-detention-of-american-academics/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9921330492943525, "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"}