Texas lawmakers welcomed news that China is releasing Houston businessman Mark Swidan, who had been imprisoned since 2012, as part of a prisoner exchange.

Swidan was arrested and imprisoned in 2012 in China on allegations of drug trafficking and sentenced to death. Texans in Congress have advocated for Swidan’s release for years. Members of both parties have denounced the imprisonment as politically motivated.

Mark Swidan from Houston was involved in a prisoner swap between the United States and China that also led to the release of Kai Li and John Leungas.