Human Rights
Described as "The Conscience of the Congress" by Senator Ed Markey, Congressman McGovern is one of the foremost voices for human rights in Congress.
Congressman McGovern serves as the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and is one of the foremost voices for human rights in Congress, both at home and abroad. The Congressman feels that human rights are not, and should not be treated as, a partisan issue.
Congressman McGovern has urged Congress to provide support for safety-net programs such as SNAP and Medicaid in order to provide all citizens with an acceptable quality of life, rather than demonizing those who are struggling. He has also supported the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and the implementation of humane interrogation standards for all detainees in U.S. custody.
In addition to focusing on human rights in the United States, Congressman McGovern has been an active force in advocating for human rights around the world. The Congressman has spoken to the House of Representatives about bringing an end to the prosecution of the Rohingya people by the government of Burma, supported U.S. assistance to the Nigerian government with the aim of finding nearly 300 abducted schoolgirls, and advocated for human rights in Bahrain and Columbia. In June, Congressman McGovern introduced HR 4851, The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act.
This bipartisan bill promotes access to Tibetan areas of China for U.S. officials, journalists, and average citizens. Currently, travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on Tibet are more severe than for any other provincial-level entity of China.
Securing human rights for all people—both in the U.S. and abroad—is a key focus for Congressman McGovern and he will continue to monitor and speak out on situations that must be addressed.
More on Human Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice in Congress on human rights, released the following statement on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria.
"Every day we hear about new horrors as the massacre in Syria continues. At this moment, somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 people remain in Aleppo waiting to be evacuated to safety. Thanks to the evacuation operation that was negotiated this week, some 8,000 people were able to leave Aleppo in recent days.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice on human rights, led a group of 37 House lawmakers in a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry expressing deep concern about the escalation of killings and assaults in Colombia on human rights defenders, LGBT and women activists, labor leaders and other social leaders. In the letter, the lawmakers call on Secretary Kerry to take strong and immediate steps to address the increased violence and support protections for groups under attack.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) applauded Congressional passage of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a bill he co-authored to crack down on corruption and human rights abuses around the world. The bill was passed as part of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 375-34. Congressman McGovern is one of four co-sponsors of the bipartisan legislation along with Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ).
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice on human rights, called on President-elect Donald Trump to take immediate steps to eliminate potential conflicts of interest created by the government of Bahrain paying the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. to host a major public event this week to influence U.S. policy.
CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice in Congress for human rights, joined U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and other U.S. leaders for the signing of a peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to end an armed conflict that began in 1964. Congressman McGovern released the following statement on the signing:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), co-chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, held a hearing on Syria’s humanitarian crisis and additional steps the U.S. can take to address it and increase civilian protection. Click here for video of today’s hearing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a senior House Democrat and leading voice in Congress for human rights, applauded the news that negotiators from the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group will make a historic announcement tonight to end an armed conflict that began in 1964.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) led a group of 72 House lawmakers in a letter calling on President Obama to make Tibet a priority in his final months in office. Congressman McGovern has been a leading voice in Congress pushing for the United States to do more to support reforms that would strengthen human rights in Tibet.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representatives Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Norma Torres (CA-35) led a group of 26 House lawmakers in a letter calling on President Obama to declassify U.S. military and intelligence records and reports that have not been previously released that relate to unresolved cases of disappearances and human rights abuses during the period of the civil war in El Salvador
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) today issued the following statement in response to the convictions of four Chinese human rights activists:
“Last week, four courageous Chinese human rights activists, including a prominent lawyer, were convicted by a Chinese court of ‘subversion of state power’ for exercising their legal rights and defending those of others.