H.Res. 186House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed, a United States citizen who was unjustly found guilty and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM UTC

The House resolution calls on the Russian government to immediately release U.S. citizen and Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who is serving a nine‑year sentence that the House says is politically motivated and unjust. It condemns Russia’s practice of imprisoning individuals for political reasons, urges the United States to press the issue in diplomatic dealings, and demands that Russia provide Reed with full consular access, proper medical care, and transparency about his health records. The resolution also expresses support for Reed’s family and other Americans detained in Russia.

Key Provisions

Calls on Russia to release Trevor Reed and all other prisoners detained for political motives
Condemns politically motivated imprisonment in Russia as a violation of human‑rights commitments
Urges the U.S. government to raise Reed’s case in all interactions with Russia
Requests unrestricted consular access for Reed while he remains detained
Demands Russia provide Reed with necessary medical treatment, notify the U.S. ambassador of any health issues, and give the U.S. embassy full access to his medical records
Expresses support for Reed’s family and other Americans unjustly imprisoned in Russia

Legislative Activity

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10 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

Pursuant to section 8 of H. Res. 504, and the motion offered by Mr. McGovern, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1500, as amended; H.R. 2471, as amended; H.R. 3261; H.R. 3283, as amended; and H.R. 3385, as amended; and the following resolutions were agreed to under suspension of the rules: H. Res. 186; and H. Res. 402, as amended. (consideration: CR H3258-3262; text: CR H3261)

June 29, 2021 • 2:14 PM

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 3, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

March 3, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Foreign Affairs Committee

April 21, 2021

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Foreign Affairs Committee

April 21, 2021

HouseFloor

Mr. Meeks moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

June 28, 2021 • 4:01 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3178-3179; text: CR H3178)

June 28, 2021 • 4:01 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 186.

June 28, 2021 • 4:01 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

June 28, 2021 • 4:12 PM

HouseFloor

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 504, proceedings on H. Res. 186 are considered vacated.

June 29, 2021 • 2:14 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 8 of H. Res. 504, and the motion offered by Mr. McGovern, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1500, as amended; H.R. 2471, as amended; H.R. 3261; H.R. 3283, as amended; and H.R. 3385, as amended; and the following resolutions were agreed to under suspension of the rules: H. Res. 186; and H. Res. 402, as amended.(consideration: CR H3258-3262; text: CR H3261)

June 29, 2021 • 2:14 PM

HouseFloor

June 29, 2021 • 2:14 PM

Floor Debate

7 members

What members said about H.Res. 186 on the floor

5 Republicans2 Democrats

Rep. Gregory W. MeeksD-NY-5 · Jun 28, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 186) calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed, a United States citizen who was unjustly found guilty and…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 186) calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed, a United States citizen who was unjustly found guilty and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 186.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 186, introduced by Mr. Pfluger of Texas, calling for the release of Trevor Reed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan measure that we have now, regrettably, had to move through the committee and the House for two Congresses.

This is a good resolution that calls for the release of Trevor Reed and condemns the deplorable treatment inflicted upon him throughout his ordeal.

It is shameful that the Kremlin continues to make a mockery of the principles of an independent judiciary, the rule of law, and due process, holding innocent American hostages for nefarious political purposes. Not even the judge on Trevor Reed's case could keep a straight face when presented with the absurd case that the Russian prosecutors brought to the table, yet the courts sentenced him to 9 years in prison anyway.

On top of the unimaginable suffering Trevor has already endured as a result of his terrible conditions and refusal of the Russian authorities to attend to his medical needs, Mr. Reed has been now diagnosed with COVID-19.

Other Americans are also suffering these same injustices inflicted by the Russian Government.

Paul Whelan, first arrested on baseless charges in December 2018, remains unjustly imprisoned and is serving a 16-year sentence.

The imprisonment of American citizens in Russia for political purposes, likely in an attempt to force the United States to release convicted Russian criminals and Putin cronies in the United States, is a despicable practice and an affront to human rights and the rule of law everywhere.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that President Biden, in his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Geneva, specifically demanded the release of Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan; and I am pleased that we, in Congress, are continuing to do the same with the consideration of this resolution.

The Kremlin must release Trevor Reed, Paul Whelan, and all others wrongfully detained in Russia so that they may finally return to their families. This is an important bill resolution. I support it, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the American families of those wrongfully detained by Russia are waiting for decisive action. Congress needs to stand united in support of Trevor Reed, Paul Whelan, and all those who have had to suffer terrible conditions and treatment by the Kremlin.

This resolution introduced by Mr. Pfluger makes clear our resolute condemnation of their imprisonment, demanding the release of the American prisoners who are being used as pawns in the Kremlin's political game. It is past time for Russia to release these political prisoners and return them to their families.

Again, I thank Mr. Pfluger for introducing this legislation, and I thank Ranking Member McCaul for working with us. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. August PflugerR-TX-11 · Jun 28, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, 682 days ago, my constituent, Trevor Reed of Granbury, Texas, was thrown into jail by the Russian…

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, 682 days ago, my constituent, Trevor Reed of Granbury, Texas, was thrown into jail by the Russian Government for a crime he did not commit before being convicted in Russian kangaroo court. He is an Eagle Scout, a U.S. marine, and, more importantly, a beloved son and brother, who stands to endure a decade of his life in a Russian prison if we are unable to bring him home.

Trevor was initially detained for public intoxication, but when the Russian Federal Security Service discovered that he was a U.S. marine, they upped the charges and accused him of endangering the lives of police officers. The accusation and the lack of evidence to support it was so ridiculous that even a Russian judge erupted in laughter during his trial.

U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan said justice was not even considered in this case, and described Trevor's trial as a theater of the absurd.

His trial was a sham, and his treatment in the custody of Russian authorities has been nothing short of appalling. He has been denied medical care, counselor access, and has been repeatedly moved without prior or proper notification. Even when he was infected with COVID, the Russians cut off communication with our embassy and with his family. Vladimir Putin himself recently smeared Trevor Reed's name, further underscoring the reality that Trevor's detainment is, in fact, politically motivated.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Michael McCaul for partnering with me to introduce this resolution, and for the support of Chairman Meeks, and for our commitment together in a bipartisan way to stand up for Trevor and the entire Reed family and others who are unlawfully detained.

Mr. Speaker, the passage of this resolution could not be more timely than it is today. In fact, just today, a corrupt Russian appeals court rejected Trevor's final appeal certifying the absurd 9-year sentence.

Our message is simple: The United States will not tolerate an American citizen being held by the Putin regime as a political pawn.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join together and stand firm with Trevor and his family, to reunite Trevor and his family, and to bring him home. Free Trevor Reed.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), a great patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the chairman and Ranking Member McCaul.

Mr. Speaker, the United States must send a strong message to Vladimir Putin that we will not tolerate a U.S. citizen and a marine veteran being held as a political pawn.

I, again, want to recognize those here in the Chamber who have supported this. Ranking Member Michael McCaul from Texas, Mr. Hill from Arkansas, and others for partnering with me on the resolution, that we will not stand for any unlawful detention of any American.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. J. French HillR-AR-2 · Jun 28, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from west Texas for this important bill. Mr. Speaker, recently, I created the Congressional Task Force on American Hostages and Americans Wrongfully Detained…

Rep. Byron DonaldsR-FL-19 · Jun 29, 2021

Madam Speaker, I was recorded as no, but meant to vote yes on rollcall No. 191. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Babin (Nehls) Boebert (Gosar) Bourdeaux (Kuster)…

Rep. James P. McGovernD-MA-2 · Jun 29, 2021

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 8 of House Resolution 504, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bills: H.R. 1500, H.R. 2471, H.R. 3261, H.R. 3283, and H.R. 3385, and agree to H. Res. 186 and…

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Rep. Andy HarrisR-MD-1 · Jun 29, 2021

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor GreeneR-GA-14 · Jun 28, 2021

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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Engrossed in HouseIssued June 29, 2021

H. RES. 186

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

June 29, 2021

RESOLUTION

Whereas United States citizen Trevor Reed is a resident of Granbury, Texas, and a United States Marine Corps veteran;

Whereas Trevor Reed traveled to Moscow to visit his girlfriend in May 2019;

Whereas Moscow’s Police Service detained Trevor Reed in August 2019;

Whereas Trevor Reed was accused of grabbing the arm of the police officer driving the vehicle and elbowing another officer while en route to the police station, causing the vehicle to swerve and therefore endangering the lives of the police officers;

Whereas the United States Embassy in Moscow has filed numerous diplomatic notes with the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding Trevor Reed being denied consular access, communications, medical treatment, family visitations, and other violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations;

Whereas Trevor Reed was not given food or water until approximately 72 hours after his initial arrest;

Whereas Trevor Reed was not given a medical evaluation of his injuries until 10 days following his arrest;

Whereas Trevor Reed’s defense team presented video evidence to the courts that disproves the police officers’ statements of supposed endangerment and wrongdoing;

Whereas Trevor Reed’s defense team was denied access to additional video evidence from inside the police vehicle and police station that had the potential to prove his innocence, the requests for all video recordings are documented, and the existence of the other videos was confirmed by police officials and investigators;

Whereas the police officers claimed emotional and physical damages, but did not sustain any visible injury, or claim any time missed from work, and the law considers the police officers victims;

Whereas the Constitutional Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the Second Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction concurred that Russian procedural law was violated in the way that Trevor Reed’s bail was revoked;

Whereas the United States Embassy in Moscow has filed complaints with the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding denial of communications with Trevor Reed;

Whereas during the trial, the defense counsel presented 59 minutes of traffic camera video from four traffic cameras, and senior Russian Government officials analyzed the video recordings and confirmed that the videos showed the police car—

(1)

did not change direction or leave its lane;

(2)

did not swerve; and

(3)

did not stop or slow down;

Whereas witnesses following directly behind the police car in a private vehicle never witnessed any dangerous movement of the police car;

Whereas the two police officers changed their testimonies in writing, in their interviews, and at least three times during defense questioning, with final answers to the judge being I don’t remember., causing court attendees and the judge to laugh;

Whereas the Investigative Bureau and Golovinsky District Court Judge Arnout denied Trevor Reed’s requests to investigate how his injuries occurred;

Whereas, on July 30, 2020, Golovinsky District Court Judge Arnout read a verdict that dismissed all defense evidence, witnesses, and government experts and only considered pieces of the police officers’ statements;

Whereas the judge sentenced Trevor Reed to 9 years in prison camp and was ordered to pay 100,000 rubles to each police officer for moral and physical injuries;

Whereas Trevor Reed had already been detained in Russia for one year at the time of the judge’s verdict;

Whereas a Consul representing the United States Embassy in Moscow attended all of Trevor Reed’s trial hearings;

Whereas the United States Ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, upon Trevor’s sentencing, stated that the prosecution’s case and the evidence presented against Mr. Reed were so preposterous that they provoked laughter in the courtroom, the conviction and sentence were ridiculous, and justice was not even considered;

Whereas, upon appeal to the Moscow City Court, the Golovinsky District Court failed to provide Trevor Reed with translated copies of the court’s decision and trial transcripts per law; and

Whereas the appeal court returned the case to the Golovinsky District Court to review omissions and incorrect statements in the trial transcripts, and the official court audio recordings were reviewed by the defense and the corrections were certified by a third-party notarization firm, with the result being Judge Arnout refusing to include any corrections to the corrupted transcripts: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—

(1)

calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to immediately release Trevor Reed and all other prisoners arrested for political motivations;

(2)

condemns the practice of politically motivated imprisonment in the Russian Federation, which violates the commitments of the Russian Federation to international obligations with respect to human rights and the rule of law;

(3)

urges the United States Government, in all its interactions with the Government of the Russian Federation, to raise the case of Trevor Reed and to press for his release;

(4)

expresses support for Trevor Reed, Paul Whelan, and all prisoners unjustly imprisoned in the Russian Federation;

(5)

urges the Government of the Russian Federation to provide unrestricted consular access to Trevor Reed while he remains in detention;

(6)

until Trevor Reed’s release, calls on the Government of the Russian Federation—

(A)

to provide Trevor Reed any necessary medical treatment and personal protective equipment;

(B)

to notify the United States Ambassador to Russia of any medical problems or complaints that arise during his detention; and

(C)

to provide the United States Embassy in Moscow with full access to all of Trevor Reed’s medical records;

(7)

urges the Government of the Russian Federation to respect Trevor Reed’s universally recognized human rights; and

(8)

expresses support to the family of Trevor Reed and commitment to bringing Trevor Reed home.

Clerk.