April 8, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 60 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S2287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            CITGO 6 Families

  Madam President, sadly, Austin is not the only American being held 
captive by a rogue government regime today. In fact, he isn't even the 
only Texan.
  In November of 2017, days before Thanksgiving, six Citgo executives 
were summoned to Venezuela for meetings with Citgo's parent company, 
Venezuela's state-owned PDVSA. During the final meeting, these men were 
detained by the Venezuelan Government, and for the past 16 months, they 
have been held captive beneath a military intelligence compound in 
Caracas. They have been denied contact with the State Department. They 
have been held without a trial. They have been unable to receive 
humanitarian aid. As the already horrible situation in Venezuela 
continues to worsen, their conditions are likely deteriorating even 
further.
  In February, the children of two of these men wrote an op-ed in the 
Houston Chronicle that detailed the suffering of their fathers and that 
all six families have faced. They wrote: ``In their isolation, our 
fathers have bonded together over a shared purpose: to stay strong in 
body, mind and spirit in anticipation of their eventual return to their 
families.''
  I assure these families that we will continue to stand alongside them 
in this fight. I call on the Maduro regime to immediately release these 
Americans and to allow them to return home. I have continued and will 
continue to urge the administration to make sure this remains a top 
priority.
  Just as we have worked closely with the Tice family over the last 6 
years in advocating for the release of Austin, their son, we will 
continue to do the same for these six men. The heartbreak felt by these 
families is unfathomable. Their spouses, children, and grandchildren 
are desperate to have their loved ones returned home. Together, we 
should do everything in our power to make that a reality.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.