{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/ahead-of-xis-visit-to-the-united-states-merkley-mcgovern-urge-trump-admin-to-stand-up-to-prc-for-its-treatment-of-political-prisoners-transnational-repression/", "Ahead of Xi\u2019s Visit to the United States, Merkley & McGovern Urge Trump Admin to Stand Up to PRC for its Treatment of Political Prisoners, Transnational Repression", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", "merkley", "https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative James P. McGovern (MA-02)\u2014Ranking Members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)\u2014led Congressional Democrats in calling attention to the Chinese government\u2019s treatment of political prisoners and its ongoing campaign of transnational repression. They sent two letters ahead of People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) President Xi Jinping\u2019s visit to the United States this week and his expected meeting with President Donald Trump.\n\nThe lawmakers urged Trump to use this summit as an opportunity to secure the release of those wrongfully detained in China, including American citizen Min Zin, and stressed, \u201cEven a single mention of a detainee\u2019s name by a senior U.S. official, let alone by yourself, can significantly increase that individual\u2019s chances of clemency or improved treatment. We urge you to be their champion during President Xi Jinping\u2019s upcoming visit.\u201d\n\nJoining McGovern and Merkley in signing this letter were U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), as well as U.S. Representatives James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Tom Suozzi (NY-03).\n\nFull text of the letter to President Trump on political prisoners can be found by clicking here.\n\nIn a separate letter to Trump Administration officials on transnational repression, the lawmakers wrote, \u201cPresident Xi\u2019s visit comes at a time when China\u2019s transnational repression has intensified. It is therefore essential that your agencies work together to prevent and respond to any effort by the Chinese government and its agents to use these tactics to interfere with the speech and advocacy of those living in the United States or to retaliate against relatives inside the People\u2019s Republic of China.\u201d\n\nJoining Merkley and McGovern in signing this letter were U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and U.S. Representatives James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Tom Suozzi (NY-03).\n\nFull text of the letter to the Trump Administration on transnational repression can be found by clicking here.\n\nMerkley and McGovern have led the charge to free those unjustly detained by the PRC and to strengthen U.S. policy to hold foreign governments and individuals accountable when they stalk, intimidate, or assault people in America and across borders. They lead the Transnational Repression Policy Act, bipartisan legislation that would tackle the growing threat of transnational repression, elevate countering transnational repression as a key U.S. foreign policy priority, and promote diplomacy that addresses it as part of a broader strategy to advance democratic principles and human rights at home and abroad.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"]], "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.merkley.senate.gov/ahead-of-xis-visit-to-the-united-states-merkley-mcgovern-urge-trump-admin-to-stand-up-to-prc-for-its-treatment-of-political-prisoners-transnational-repression/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.394417766481638, "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"}