(Minghui.org) Practitioners have protested the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong for 27 years. The CCP’s former head Jiang Zemin launched the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, which continues today and brings immense suffering to practitioners and their family members.
Practitioners will hold a rally, march, and candlelight vigil in front of the Lincoln Memorial on July 23, 2026, to call for an end to the CCP’s human rights abuses.
Several U.S. Senators and members of the House of Representatives sent videos or letters voicing their support for Falun Gong and condemning the CCP’s persecution. They also called for sanctioning the perpetrators and holding the CCP accountable.
Bipartisan Senators Co-Sign Bill S.4009
Left to right upper row: Bill S.4009 sponsor Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX); Co-sponsor Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR); Cosigners Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Todd Young (R-IN). Left to right bottom row: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) (Minghui.org)
Before July 20, three more Senators co-signed Senate Bill S.4009, the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD).
The bill was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on March 5, 2026, and co-sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Five more senators co-signed the bill.
The bill requests the U.S. government to provide a list of those perpetrators who directly participate or assist in the forced organ harvesting in China. The bill authorizes the U.S. Government to sanction the perpetrators, including banning transactions with U.S. individuals or entities, freezing their assets within the United States, and a ban on entry into the U.S. Existing visas held by the individuals concerned will be revoked, and they will lose eligibility for U.S. immigration benefits.
Sen. Rick Scott: Hold the CCP Accountable
Video address from Sen. Rick Scott
Sen. Rick Scott issued a video greeting before July 20. He said, “The Chinese Communist Party is a direct threat to the American way of life and the enemy of its own people.
“As we mark the 27th anniversary of the peaceful Falun Gong protest, we’re reminded of the CCP’s brutal persecution, child slavery, forced organ harvesting, and ongoing human rights abuses.
“That’s why I reintroduced the Falun Gong Protection Act to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for or complicit with forced organ harvesting, especially those targeting Falun Gong practitioners.
“We can never stop speaking out and holding the government of communist China accountable for their horrific crimes.”
Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis: Tyranny can Never Extinguish the Human Spirit
Letter from Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (Minghui.org)
Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) stated in his letter, “For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has carried out a relentless campaign against Falun Gong practitioners. Reports have documented arbitrary detention, torture, imprisonment, and other grave human rights abuses directed at individuals whose only “offense” is peacefully practicing their spiritual beliefs. Allegations of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience are among the most disturbing human rights concerns of our time and demand continued international scrutiny and accountability. Religious liberty is not a privilege granted by governments – it is a universal human right. Every individual, regardless of faith or belief, deserves to live free from intimidation, coercion, and violence. The United States must continue to stand as a beacon for those whose freedoms have been stripped away by authoritarian regimes.
“I am also deeply troubled by credible reports that efforts to intimidate and silence Falun Gong practitioners have extended beyond China’s borders. Any attempt by a foreign government to harass, threaten, or suppress individuals lawfully exercising their constitutional rights on American soil is unacceptable. Our nation must remain vigilant against all forms of transnational repression and ensure that those seeking refuge in freedom are protected. As Co-Chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus and throughout my service in Congress, I have consistently spoken out against authoritarianism and in defense of democracy, human dignity, and fundamental freedoms around the world. The persecution of individuals because of their faith or conscience is incompatible with the values shared by free nations, and we must never become indifferent to such injustice.
“To the Falun Gong practitioners, their families, and all victims of religious persecution: know that you are not forgotten. Your courage in the face of extraordinary hardship is an inspiration to people across the globe. Your peaceful commitment to truth, compassion, and perseverance serves as a powerful reminder that tyranny can never extinguish the human spirit. Today, we honor those who have suffered, remember those who have lost their lives, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing religious freedom and human rights everywhere. We call on the Chinese Communist Party to end its persecution of Falun Gong, respect the fundamental rights of its people, and cease all efforts to intimidate dissidents beyond its borders. May we continue working together toward a future where every person can live according to their consciences without fear. May God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.”
Rep. Joe Wilson: The CCP’s Persecution Cannot Be Tolerated
Letter from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) (Minghui.org)
Rep. Joe Wilson expressed support for practitioners’ efforts to end the CCP’s 27-year-long persecution. He wrote, “The Chinese Communist Party is terrified of freedom, and their violence against the Falun Gong will not be tolerated.”
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver: To Stand up for Humanity Requires Standing Against Persecution
Letter from Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) (Minghui.org)
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II wrote, “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, one that has been denied to practitioners of Falun Gong in China for far too long. To be arrested, detained, or killed because of your beliefs, peaceful practices, or relationship to spirituality is unacceptable. To stand up for humanity requires standing against persecution.
“I applaud your advocacy and wish you success in raising awareness and defending human rights. It is often easy to turn a blind eye to pain and suffering when it is happening to someone else, halfway around the world. To get engaged, to care, and to make their cause your own is a courageous and vitally important act. It is how change happens.”
Rep. Jack Bergman: Hoping Practitioners Live Without Fear
Letter from Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) (Minghui.org)
Rep. Jack Bergman wrote, “As 2026 marks twenty-seven years since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its campaign of persecution against Falun Gong, we reflect on the memory of those who have died as a result of these brutal attacks, and we renew our commitment to ending the human rights abuses that Falun Gong practitioners continue to endure.”
“For decades, the CCP has perpetrated grave human rights violations, and it falls to the U.S. to expose these injustices for what they are. There is no acceptable form of religious persecution, and I hold onto the hope that Falun Gong practitioners will one day be free to live out their faith without living in fear. Achieving this will require the U.S. to stand alongside our allies abroad to shine a light on the CCP’s abuses and demand accountability. I remain committed, as a Member of Congress, to speaking out against these ongoing human rights violations.”
Rep. Thomas P. Tiffany: Calling for an End to the Human Rights Abuse
Letter from Rep. Thomas P. Tiffany (R-WI) (Minghui.org)
Rep. Thomas P. Tiffany wrote, “It has been nearly three decades since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) first began their systematic crackdown on Falun Gong, subjecting its practitioners to criminal penalties, torture, arbitrary detention, and involuntary organ harvesting.
“I join you today in calling for an end to human rights abuses and repression in China.”
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Category: July 20 Events
