III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 638 

Calling for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett, a United States citizen 

who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban on August 10, 2022, and 

condemning the wrongful detention of Americans by the Taliban. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 11 (legislative day, APRIL 10), 2024 

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. MCCONNELL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett, a United 

States citizen who was wrongfully detained by the 

Taliban on August 10, 2022, and condemning the wrongful detention of Americans by the Taliban. 

Whereas United States citizen Ryan Corbett has lived a life 

of service by supporting humanitarian projects in Afghanistan that help the Afghan people start and operate 

small businesses; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett moved his family to Afghanistan in 

2010 to help the local population and lived there for more 

than a decade aiding the Afghan people; 

Whereas, in 2017, Ryan Corbett founded ‘‘Bloom Afghanistan’’ to provide consulting and microloans to Afghan 


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•SRES 638 ATS 

small businesses to help build a self-sustaining local economy; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett is known to his family, friends, colleagues, and associates as a loving father and husband as 

well as a kind, service-oriented man; 

Whereas, in August 2021, Ryan Corbett was forced to leave 

his life, community, and Afghan partners behind when 

the Taliban seized Kabul and United States citizens were 

evacuated; 

Whereas, in August 2022, Ryan Corbett traveled to Afghanistan for a 10-day trip to check on his business and employees and was detained by the Taliban; 

Whereas the Taliban detained Ryan Corbett without charging 

him with a crime or granting him due process in any judicial proceedings; 

Whereas, on September 29, 2023, Ryan Corbett was designated as wrongfully detained by United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett is being held in a 9-foot by 9-foot underground cell with two other Taliban detainees and has 

been held in solitary confinement on multiple occasions; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett has not been granted access to any 

physical consular visits by United States Department of 

State personnel but has had limited consular access via 

phone to a United States consular representative; 

Whereas, during his detention, Ryan Corbett seldom has had 

phone calls with his family and has only had limited inperson visits with personnel from Qatar, the United 

States’ protecting power in Afghanistan; 


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•SRES 638 ATS 

Whereas at least five third-country nationals previously detained with Ryan Corbett have been released and have reported on Ryan’s horrific and deteriorating conditions; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett’s former cellmates who have been subsequently released stated that prisoners at the detention 

facility must survive on scraps of fatty meat, seldom have 

access to sunlight, and cannot use the bathroom without 

permission; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett’s former cellmates who have been subsequently released stated that, during their captivity, 

Ryan Corbett was suffering from seizures, fainting, and 

discolored extremities; 

Whereas Ryan Corbett turned 40 years old during his wrongful detention, and his physical and mental health is rapidly declining due to the stress and harsh conditions, 

such that his family fears he will not survive his wrongful 

detention; and 

Whereas the Taliban’s pursuit of international legitimacy and 

recognition is without merit due to the Taliban’s continued use of hostages as a political tool, the Taliban’s support for terrorism, and the elimination of freedoms for 

women and girls in Afghanistan: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls on the Taliban to immediately and un3 conditionally release Ryan Corbett; 

4 (2) condemns the wrongful detention of Ryan 

5 Corbett by the Taliban; 

6 (3) urges the Taliban to respect Ryan Corbett’s 

7 fundamental human rights and to provide full, unVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:16 Apr 11, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR638.ATS SR638

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•SRES 638 ATS 

1 fettered, and consistent health and welfare visits to 

2 Ryan Corbett while he remains in detention; 

3 (4) urges all United States executive branch of4 ficials, including President Joseph Biden, Secretary 

5 of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor 

6 Jake Sullivan, Special Representative for Afghani7 stan Tom West, and Special Presidential Envoy for 

8 Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, to continue to raise 

9 the case of Ryan Corbett and to press for his imme10 diate release in all interactions with the Taliban; 

11 (5) condemns the Taliban’s continued use of 

12 the wrongful detention of United States citizens and 

13 lawful permanent residents for political purposes 

14 and demands that the Taliban stop unjustifiably de15 taining United States nationals for political gain; 

16 (6) calls for the immediate release of other 

17 United States citizens and lawful permanent resi18 dents who are wrongfully detained in Afghanistan; 

19 (7) expresses sympathy for and solidarity with 

20 the families of all other United States citizens and 

21 lawful permanent residents wrongfully detained 

22 abroad; and 


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•SRES 638 ATS 

1 (8) expresses support for the family of Ryan 

2 Corbett and the family’s commitment to bringing 

3 Ryan Corbett home. 

Æ 


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