McCaul Statement on Administration’s Response to Magnitsky Act

Washington D.C. – House Foreign Affairs Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) released the following statement in response to the Administration’s failure to meet the requirements of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The law requires the Administration to determine and report to Congress within 120 days whether a foreign person is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of human rights.

Lead Republican McCaul: “I am deeply troubled by the letter I received from the Administration regarding the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

“The letter does not meet the requirements of the “Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act”, which were invoked by letters from the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate foreign policy committees last October.

“Jamal’s murder was appalling. The lesson of this terrible event needs to be that intimidation and violence by any government against peaceful dissent will be met with strong disapproval by responsible nations. Everyone involved in this gruesome crime must be identified and held accountable.  When the United States fails to lead, we compromise our integrity and abandon those pursuing justice around the world. 

“I call on the Administration to immediately comply with the requirements of the law, and to provide Congress with the information required.”