IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 90 
Demanding that the Government of the People’s Republic of China and 
the Communist Party of China immediately release Mark Swidan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 1, 2023 
Mr. CLOUD (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, Mr. 
CRENSHAW, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. GREEN of Texas, 
Mr. ELLZEY, Mr. HUNT, Mr. FALLON, Ms. DE
LA
CRUZ, Mr. 
LUTTRELL, Mr. BABIN, Mr. NEHLS, Mr. SELF, Mr. WEBER of Texas, 
Mr. ROY, Mr. MORAN, Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. JACKSON of Texas, Mr. BUR-
GESS, Ms. VAN DUYNE, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. ARRINGTON, Mr. ALLRED, 
Mr. CARTER of Texas, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, Ms. 
GRANGER, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, and Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Demanding that the Government of the People’s Republic 
of China and the Communist Party of China immediately 
release Mark Swidan. 
Whereas Mark Swidan is being unjustly and arbitrarily de-
tained by the Government of the People’s Republic of 
China and the Communist Party of China (CPC), accord-
ing to the United States Government and the United Na-
tions Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Working Group 
on Arbitrary Detention; 
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•HRES 90 IH 
Whereas Mark Swidan is a United States citizen from 
Luling, Texas, and is a resident of Houston, Texas; 
Whereas, on November 13, 2012, Mark Swidan was abducted 
by officers of the Public Security Bureau while on a busi-
ness trip to the People’s Republic of China, and on De-
cember 21, 2012, Swidan was formally arrested following 
an indictment issued by the Public Prosecutions Office of 
the People’s Procuratorate of Jiangmen City alleging 
that Swidan was part of a criminal conspiracy with 11 
other individuals to manufacture and traffic drugs; 
Whereas, on April 30, 2019, a Chinese court sentenced 
Swidan to death, which he has appealed; 
Whereas security officials in the People’s Republic of China 
repeatedly attempted to coerce Swidan into signing a con-
fession, but Swidan refused to sign a confession pleaded 
not guilty; 
Whereas, according to evidence evaluated by the UNHRC 
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention— 
(1) no drugs were found on Swidan or in his hotel 
room; 
(2) the prosecution did not produce any forensic evi-
dence of the alleged offenses; 
(3) records in Swidan’s passport indicate he was not 
in the People’s Republic of China during the time of the 
offenses; and 
(4) the 11 other individuals indicted in relation to 
the alleged conspiracy could not identify Swidan; 
Whereas officials of the People’s Republic of China and the 
CPC have maliciously and systematically denied Swidan’s 
mother Katherine Swidan, a resident of Texas, and other 
members of his family the ability to contact him; 
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•HRES 90 IH 
Whereas officials of the People’s Republic of China and the 
CPC have denied and continue to deny United States 
diplomats full consular access to Swidan, in violation of 
international norms; 
Whereas Swidan’s detention has been and continues to be in-
humane, and includes exposure to extreme weather condi-
tions, sleep deprivation, and physical and psychological 
abuse; 
Whereas Swidan’s health has precipitously deteriorated and 
security officials in People’s Republic of China continue 
to deny independent or competent medical care and eval-
uation to Swidan; 
Whereas humanitarian organizations of the United States, in-
cluding the Dui Hua Foundation, which helped put this 
case before the Working Group, and the Global Liberty 
Alliance, which has asked the Sister Cities programs to 
sever relationships with Jiangmen until Swidan is re-
leased, have sought to highlight the injustice and condi-
tions of Swidan’s detention; 
Whereas the UNHRC Working Group on Arbitrary Deten-
tion— 
(1) found that Swidan is being held in violation of 
customary international law; 
(2) emphasized the nonconformity by the People’s 
Republic of China with international norms, including the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and 
(3) stressed that ‘‘the appropriate remedy would be 
to release Mr. Swidan immediately and accord him an en-
forceable right to compensation and other reparations, in 
accordance with international law’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 90 IH 
(1) demands that the Government of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China and the Communist Party of 
China immediately release Mark Swidan; 
(2) condemns the Government of the People’s 
Republic of China and the Communist Party of 
China for refusing to provide Swidan with— 
(A) regular communication with his family; 
(B) access to United States diplomats; and 
(C) independent and competent medical 
care and evaluation; and 
(3) calls on the United States Government to 
deepen and prioritize efforts to secure the release of 
Swidan, including by— 
(A) urging Chinese counterparts at every 
level of engagement to release Swidan, and 
(B) using the voice and vote of United 
States diplomats in international forums to 
highlight Swidan’s case. 
Æ 
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