[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 93 (Friday, June 19, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6854-S6855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ALL IRANIAN CITIZENS WHO EMBRACE THE VALUES OF 
        FREEDOM, HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND RULE OF LAW

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 193, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 193) expressing support for all 
     Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human 
     rights, civil liberties, and rule of law, and for other 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, the resolution I submitted, on behalf of 
myself, Senator Lieberman and others, is exactly the same as has been 
introduced by Congressmen Berman and Pence in the House of 
Representatives. It is the exact same resolution. It expresses support 
for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human 
rights, civil liberties, rule of law, and for other purposes.
  The resolution expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who 
embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and the 
rule of law, and for other purposes. It condemns the ongoing violence 
against demonstrators by the Government of Iran and progovernment 
militias as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent 
electronic communication through interference with the Internet and 
cell phones and affirms the universality of individual rights and the 
importance of democratic and fair elections.
  Basically, what this is is a resolution that has been introduced in 
both Houses, which affirms America's fundamental respect and commitment 
to human rights, to people no matter where they reside in the world.
  It is unfortunate, in a way, that this resolution is required since 
the administration does not want to ``meddle,'' and the President has 
refused to speak out in support of these brave Iranian citizens, most 
of them young, who are risking their very lives to protest what was 
clearly an unfair and corrupt election.
  What we are seeing in Iran today is sort of a sequence of events that 
should worry all of us who have watched this before. The demonstrators, 
some beaten, some killed, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls together the 
participants in the election and then says there should be no more 
demonstrations and strong action will be taken.

[[Page S6855]]

That is coupled with ejecting the world's media from Iran--first 
restricting it and then forcing them out so as not to record events. 
Unfortunately for the Iranian mullahs, Twitter has become an incredible 
means of communication, as well as cameras in cell phones. The word is 
still coming out as to the degree of oppression that is being practiced 
by the Iranian Government.
  There is a lot I wish to say today about what is going on in Iran; 
the fact that we, the United States of America, have a long history of 
speaking out on behalf of people who are oppressed, who are victims of 
a corrupt election. We stood tall, America did, for the workers in 
Gdansk, in solidarity with Lech Walesa. We stood tall for the people of 
Prague during the Prague Spring, and we were not afraid, as Ronald 
Reagan was not, to go to the Berlin Wall and say ``Take down this 
wall,'' and call an evil empire what it was, an evil empire.
  One of the ironies of this situation that I wish to address very 
briefly is that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's political adviser said 
Thursday that the United States will regret its interference in Iran's 
disputed election. In other words, our President says he does not want 
to go meddle and at the same time, of course, they are accusing us of 
doing exactly that.
  He, the adviser, said:

       I hope in the case of the elections they realize their 
     interference is a mistake and that they don't repeat this 
     mistake. They will certainly regret this. They will have 
     problems reestablishing relations with Iran.

  In the history of this country, since July 4, 1776, we affirmed the 
fundamental rights of all people throughout the world, and that is the 
inalienable rights granted by our Creator to life, liberty and the 
pursuit of happiness. That commitment to human rights was there then 
and it is there today. The United States of America must, and this body 
must, affirm our support for fundamental human rights of the Iranian 
people who are being beaten and killed in the streets of Tehran and 
other cities around Iran. We are with them.
  It is not an accident that the signs ``Where is my vote?'' are in 
English. They are waiting for an expression of support from the 
Government and the people of the United States of America. I think this 
resolution is an important way to do so.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 193) was agreed to, as follows:

                              S. Res. 193

       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who 
     embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, 
     and rule of law;
       (2) condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by 
     the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well 
     as the ongoing government suppression of independent 
     electronic communication through interference with the 
     Internet and cellphones; and
       (3) affirms the universality of individual rights and the 
     importance of democratic and fair elections.

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