Amnesty International USA Calls on Incoming Congress to Respect Human Rights and on Current Congress to Pass Key Legislation Immediately

Amnesty International USA's executive director, Paul O'Brien, released the following statement in response to the results of the U.S. Congressional election:

"We call on the incoming Congress to respect human rights, both within the U.S. and around the world. It is absolutely crucial that the U.S. government respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of all people, without discrimination of any kind. That includes the right to abortion, the right to live free from gun violence, and the right to seek safety, including asylum.

"The new House should commit to funding humanitarian assistance to people most at risk around the world. It should work to hold Russia's political and military leadership to account for war crimes in Ukraine and fully support aid to the Ukrainian people as they struggle through Russia's war of aggression this winter.

"We also call on the current Congress to immediately pass important human rights legislation, including the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would give Afghans in the U.S. a path to citizenship, and has been introduced in the House and Senate with bipartisan support. The Senate should also pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which would increase critical federal funding for community gun violence prevention organizations, and has been passed in the House.

"Amnesty International USA has been at the forefront of defending freedom and protecting human rights for more than six decades. We will continue our efforts to protect human rights and hold the U.S. government accountable for its human rights obligations."