EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD PRIORITIZE SECURING THE RELEASE OF PASTOR JIN MINGRI, PASTOR GAO QUANFU AND HIS WIFE PANG YU, DR. GULSHAN ABBAS, AND...

On 2026-05-12, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) delivered a floor speech titled "EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD PRIORITIZE SECURING THE RELEASE OF PASTOR" in the House.

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD PRIORITIZE SECURING THE RELEASE OF PASTOR JIN MINGRI, PASTOR GAO QUANFU AND HIS WIFE PANG YU, DR. GULSHAN ABBAS, AND...

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 80 (Tuesday, May 12, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 12, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3372-H3375] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD PRIORITIZE SECURING THE RELEASE OF PASTOR JIN MINGRI, PASTOR GAO QUANFU AND HIS WIFE PANG YU, DR. GULSHAN ABBAS, AND JIMMY LAI DETAINED BY THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA DURING FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1259) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should prioritize securing the release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Jimmy Lai detained by the People's Republic of China during future engagements with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 1259 Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has arrested Chinese, American, and British citizens for the peaceful expression of speech or religion, or such acts by family members; Whereas such arrests have been widely condemned by the international community and human rights organizations, with repeated calls for the release of the detainees; Whereas, on May 17, 2025, Pastor Gao Quanfu of the Light of Zion Church in Xi'an Province was detained and is being held on charges of ``using superstitious activities to undermine the implementation of law'' and ``fraud''; Whereas Pastor Gao's wife, Pang Yu, who was subsequently detained on June 7, 2025, remains held despite holding no official position in the church, and has been denied access to critical prescription medication; Whereas, on or about October 10, 2025, authorities of the People's Republic of China detained Pastor Jin Mingri, founder of Zion Church, along with other church leaders, on equally dubious charges of ``illegal use of information networks''; Whereas Pastor Jin continues to be detained without access to critical medications to treat diabetes or contact with family members in the People's Republic of China and the United States; Whereas, on November 7, 2025, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 463, calling for the ``immediate and unconditional release of all detained members of Zion Church, including Pastor Jin'' and for the Government of the People's Republic of China to end ``harassment and intimidation of the relatives of Zion church members and their relatives''; Whereas Gulshan Abbas, a retired medical doctor and grandmother, was forcibly disappeared on September 11, 2018, shortly after her sister, a United States citizen, publicly criticized the treatment of Uyghurs by the Government of the People's Republic of China; Whereas Dr. Abbas was later sentenced to 20 years following secret proceedings on charges that independent observers and human rights organizations have characterized as politically motivated; Whereas the prolonged detention of Dr. Abbas raises grave concerns regarding her health, wellbeing, and access to due process, as she suffers from severe high blood pressure and osteoporosis, among other conditions; Whereas, in 1995, Jimmy Lai founded the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong and subsequently faced repeated harassment and arrest, including a 69 month sentence in 2022, on dubious fraud charges and a subsequent 20 year sentence in February 2026, on equally dubious national security charges; Whereas, in December 2025, President Donald Trump said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider releasing Jimmy Lai; Whereas, on December 4, 2025, House Resolution 930 was introduced commemorating Jimmy Lai and calling on authorities of the People's Republic of China to ``immediately and unconditionally release Jimmy Lai and all other Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates unjustly imprisoned''; Whereas, on September 11, 2025, the House introduced the ``FREEDOM for Gao Zhisheng and All Political Prisoners Act'', which would strengthen United States diplomatic efforts to advocate for the release of unjustly detained political prisoners in the People's Republic of China and in Hong Kong by requiring a coordinated strategy for political-prisoner advocacy and encouraging the use of available accountability tools against officials responsible for arbitrary detention and other human rights abuses; and Whereas addressing individual cases of wrongful detention has historically been an important component of United States diplomacy, reflects longstanding bipartisan commitments to political and religious freedoms, and is an important factor in United States bilateral relations: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) calls upon the President to prioritize securing the humanitarian release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, Jimmy Lai, and other unjustly detained individuals on the agenda for engagements with President Xi Jinping, including the anticipated May 2026 summit; (2) urges the President to seek verifiable proof of life and access to independent legal counsel, family communication, and medical care for such detainees; and (3) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to defend political and religious freedom and advocate for the release of those unjustly detained for exercising such fundamental freedoms. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Olszewski) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey. General Leave Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey? There was no objection. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I, like many in the House and the Senate, want to thank President Trump for requesting on numerous occasions that Xi Jinping release Jimmy Lai and other women and men who are gravely sick and unjustly incarcerated. It is not largely known, but hundreds of innocent Americans languish in Chinese prisons today, including Nelson Wells of New Orleans and Dawn Michelle Hunt from Chicago. At a hearing that I chaired in September of 2024, Bringing Home Americans Detained in China, we heard heartbreaking stories from their families and their loved ones. According to the Foley Foundation, more United States nationals are wrongfully detained in China than in any other country. I have introduced legislation to create a comprehensive strategy to try to obtain their release. H. Res. 1259 speaks to this issue of unjustly detained individuals. It is about Pastor Ezra Jin, founder of the Zion Church, detained and denied needed medical care. It is about Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife, Pang Yu, detained for peaceful religious leadership. It is about Gulshan Abbas, serving a 20-year sentence because her sister, Rushan Abbas, dared to tell Congress the truth about the CCP's genocide against the Uyghurs. I alone, and she has testified before other committees, have had Rushan Abbas testify three different times. She is eloquent. She is nonviolent and just wants her sister returned home to be safe. The CCP has imprisoned one sister in this case in order to silence another, and that is hostage taking plain and simple. Of course, this resolution is about Jimmy Lai, the courageous founder of Apple Daily imprisoned because he defended freedom of the press, democracy, and the rule of law in Hong Kong. His son, Sebastien Lai, testified in 2023 at a hearing that I chaired of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. When he was done I said: You know, you are a chip off the old block. You are so persuasive and so full of goodness just like your father. He did tell us that his father was refusing to be silenced and still speaking truth to power and that he may die in prison. That testimony, Madam Speaker, should haunt us and move us to action. I would remind my colleagues that some years ago, working with Speaker [[Page H3373]] Pelosi, we were able to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Unfortunately, it has only gotten worse since then. Yes, sanctions have been meted out, but unfortunately, Xi Jinping has incarcerated the best, the bravest, and the brightest in all of China. Jimmy Lai should not spend one more night in a Hong Kong prison. He is a man of total nonviolence. He used the power of the pen to try to persuade and to admonish. Like Sebastien, Jimmy Lai's daughter, Claire, has bravely, tenaciously, and prayerfully advocated for her father's release. Claire told the Associated Press last December that her dad just wants to reunite with his family. He wants to dedicate his life, what is left of it, to serving our Lord, and he wants to dedicate the rest of his days to his family. Claire has met with many, many House and Senate Members. She sat right up there during the State of the Union Address. She has met with Members. I was with her for much of that time. She was with the Speaker, and she was just so gracious. She exudes compassion, and she radiates kindness. All that she and Sebastien are asking for is that their father be released. We know President Trump is going to raise that face-to-face with Xi Jinping. I would remind my colleagues that I have been in this body for 46 years and have worked on the release of political prisoners all over the world starting in the Soviet Union. We have always found out that when the United States names prisoners, it works. Reagan did it all the time. Secretary of State Shultz said specific names, and m

Referenced legislation: SRES463, HRES930, HRES1259