A group of nearly three dozen U.S. Senators sent a letter of support to imprisoned WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich. They expressed their “profound anger and concern” over his detention by the Russian government.

The letter was initiated by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del) and James Risch (R-ID). It says that a “free press is crucial to the foundation and support of human rights everywhere.” Every day Evan spends in a Russian prison “is a day too long.”

“We applaud you for your efforts to report the truth about Russia’s reprehensible invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has resulted in untellable atrocities, tragedies, and loss of life,” the letter read.

“Please know that the support for you and Paul go well beyond the walls of the United States Senate, and that the American people are with us in demanding your release,” the letter read. We “understand the enormous burden you may feel as the Russian government uses you as a political tool.”

I hope that Paul Whelan is receiving as much attention from them as Evan. I also hope that they are doing whatever they can to help with the release of Marc Fogel, an American school teacher being held in a Russian prison on drug charges, similar to what happened to Brittney Griner. Yet, Griner received a prison swap deal. The others are still in prison.

The House is working with the Biden administration in condemning Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. They have opposed Putin’s crackdown on journalists and opposition politicians and their supporters. There’s a little irony, given how the Biden administration is handling the prosecution of Donald Trump.

A bipartisan group in the House sent a letter to Evan in May that condemned his time spent locked up in a Russian prison. Evan told his parents in a letter that he reads every letter that gets to him and they give him encouragement. He asked for the letters to continue coming to him.

The House unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Russian government to release Evan on Tuesday. They also called for him to receive unfettered consular access while he is imprisoned. The House passed a similar resolution for Paul Whelan on Wednesday. These resolutions don’t have the binding force of U.S. law but they underscore congressional support for the Biden administration’s efforts to free the men.

It’s a feel-good effort. Congress likes to feel like they are doing something, yet in this case, they may give some encouragement to Evan, if he receives the letter, but not much else will happen until Putin gets whatever it is he wants in exchange for Evan’s release. Joe Biden and his State Department have shown they are willing to make a really lopsided deal in order to facilitate a prisoner swap. A nefarious arms dealer known as The Merchant of Death, Viktor Bout, was traded for the WNBA basketball player. The American men left behind are white men so it would appear that the black female athlete took top priority. It is hard not to note the racial element in the deal. Biden and Harris make everything about race. There is a presidential election coming up, you know. Biden is up for re-election and black female voters are credited with a large amount of Biden’s victory. Not to be too cynical, but that is how it all looks.

Coons told the Wall Street Journal that he and Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. It is meant to stop the IRS from levying fines and penalties on American hostages and wrongful detainees for late tax payments while they are detained. Imagine coming home from being detained overseas for months, or even years, and being hit with fines from the IRS and penalties because your payments didn’t arrive on time.

Evan’s letter will be sent to the Free Evan Gershkovich campaign. It will be translated in to Russian, which is a requirement of the Russian security services. The Russians will screen the letter before giving it to Evan at Lefortovo prison. Other letter-writing campaigns have been initiated to send messages of support to Evan. Friends, colleagues at the WSJ, and Russian faculties at his alma mater, Bowdoin College, as well as other colleges, are all sending letters to Evan.

“Letters going to people who are imprisoned overseas can have a significant and positive impact on them, keeping their spirits up, making it clear to them that their case is something that’s not forgotten, that we’re focused on,” Coons said. “The case of Evan Gershkovich is one that we cannot let be forgotten.”

The other Americans cannot be forgotten, either.