Reschenthaler, Kelly Applaud President Trump’s Commitment to Marc Fogel

Reschenthaler, Kelly Applaud President Trump's Commitment to Marc Fogel

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) and U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) applaud President Donald J. Trump for meeting with Marc Fogel's mother and supporting calls for his release. The lawmakers met with Fogel's son, Ethan Fogel, on Tuesday to discuss his father's wrongful detainment in Russia. This meeting came after President Trump met with Marc's mother, Malphine Fogel, earlier this month and received his support.

"Ethan's father has been wrongfully detained in a Russian prison for 1,076 days," said Reschenthaler. "After nearly three years of inaction from the Biden Administration, I am thankful to see President Trump meet with Marc Fogel's mother and support our efforts to bring him home. We must do everything possible to support Marc - President Trump meets the moment."

"I want to thank the Fogel family for bringing their powerful message to Washington this week and reminding everyone: Marc Fogel must remain a part of any hostage negotiations between the Biden Administration and the Russian government. The Fogel family remains incredibly resilient and prayerful," said Kelly. "I call on the Biden Administration to do everything in its power to bring Marc Fogel home to Pennsylvania as quickly as possible. His family has spent more than 1,000 days without him. They deserve to have him home."

"I want to thank Congressmen Reschenthaler and Kelly for meeting with my grandson and Marc's son, Ethan Fogel, this week in Washington, DC.," said Malphine Fogel, mother of Marc Fogel. "It is critical that Marc be designated as wrongfully detained and be brought home from Russia with Evan Gershkovich. Both congressmen were essential in bringing Marc to the attention of President Trump and having him meet with me and commit to bringing him home should he become president. President Trump made an unseen family feel seen. Please continue to fight for Marc and our family and hold the Biden Department of State accountable for the misleading statements they have made about my son."

In Congress, Reschenthaler and Kelly have been working to get answers from the Department of State and bring Marc Fogel home:

• On December 21, 2023, Reschenthaler led a bipartisan, bicameral letterurging Secretary Antony Blinken to include Pittsburgh-native Marc Fogel in any prisoner swap made with Russia.
• On June 27, 2023, Reschenthaler introduced the Marc Fogel Act, which would require the State Department to provide Congress with copies of documents and communications on why a wrongful determination has or has not been made in cases of U.S. nationals detained abroad within six months of arrest.
• On August 3, 2022, Reschenthaler led a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the State Department to immediately classify Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained due to the extreme similarity to Brittney Griner's case.
• On October 31, 2022, Reschenthaler led a bipartisan letter to Secretary Blinken demanding the State Department prioritize securing Fogel's release.
• On February 15, 2023, Reschenthaler and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul led a letter to Secretary Blinken expressing serious concern that the State Department has failed to provide information on why Fogel has not been classified as wrongfully detained.