More than a dozen members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation are calling on federal officials to include Marc Fogel in any potential prisoner swaps made with the Russian government.

Fogel, a Butler County native who lives in Oakmont, has been detained in Russia for more than two years after he was arrested at the Moscow airport for having 17 grams of medical marijuana used to treat chronic pain. Fogel, 62, was sentenced in June 2022 to 14 years in prison by the Russian government.

A bipartisan group of 15 lawmakers urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to include Fogel in any potential prisoner swap while negotiations are ongoing with Russia. In a letter to Blinken, lawmakers wrote that Fogel should be included with other Americans detained in Russia — Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.

The Biden administration has made significant offers in an attempt to free Whelan and Gershkovich, according to the Associated Press.

“During this holiday season, we join our constituents urging the Biden administration to redouble its efforts to secure Mr. Fogel’s release from Russian custody so that Mr. Fogel may return home to his wife, 94-year-old mother and the rest of his family,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter to Blinken.

• Editorial: Marc Fogel needs to be included with Gershkovich, Whelan • Editorial: Marc Fogel Act is important step forward in bringing detainees home

Republican Reps. Mike Kelly, Guy Reschenthaler, Dan Meuser, Glenn “GT” Thompson and Brian Fitzpatrick were joined by Democratic Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, as well as Reps. Chris Deluzio, Summer Lee, Brendan Boyle, Madeleine Dean, Dwight Evans, Matt Cartwright and Chrissy Houlahan in signing the letter.

Reschenthaler said Fogel’s case is very similar to WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was released from Russian custody after the Biden administration made a prisoner swap last December.

The lawmakers wrote that Fogel’s health is deteriorating and he should be prioritized like Griner and others have been.

Lawmakers urged the State Department to designate Fogel as “wrongfully detained,” but the department has not yet done so.

“Under federal law, Fogel meets at least six of the 11 established criteria to be designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department,” reads the letter. “He has yet to be classified as wrongfully detained, while Griner was designated in less than three months after her arrest.”

A State Department spokesperson said in November it is continuing to call on the Russian government to release Fogel on humanitarian grounds but would not comment on why Fogel hasn’t been designated as wrongfully detained like others held in Russia.

Tensions with Russia have escalated recently, as President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday targeting financial institutions that facilitate Russia’s efforts to bolster its defense industry.

Pittsburgh-area lawmakers have joined Fogel’s family and friends in calling for his release and have been adding pressure to the Biden administration. They have introduced congressional resolutions and the Marc Fogel Act, which would require the State Department to provide Congress with copies of documents and communications on why a wrongful determination has or has not been made in cases of U.S. nationals detained abroad within six months of arrest.

Fogel’s family started a Christmas card campaign this month in hopes of boosting Fogel’s spirits and increasing pressure on federal officials.

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