[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 22, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S9682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 40--ENCOURAGING THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN TO 
   GRANT CONSULAR ACCESS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SWITZERLAND TO JOSHUA 
FATTAL, SHANE BAUER, AND SARAH SHOURD, AND TO ALLOW THE 3 YOUNG PEOPLE 
TO REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THE UNITED STATES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

  Mr. SPECTER (for himself, Mr. Casey, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Franken, and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 40

       Whereas, on July 31, 2009, officials of the Government of 
     Iran took 3 United States citizens, Joshua Fattal, Shane 
     Bauer, and Sarah Shourd, into custody near the Ahmed Awa 
     region of northern Iraq, after the 3 United States citizens 
     reportedly crossed into the territory of Iran while hiking in 
     Iraq;
       Whereas officials of the Government of Iran have confirmed 
     that they are holding the 3 United States citizens; and
       Whereas officials of the Government of Iran have not 
     allowed consular access by the Embassy of the Government of 
     Switzerland (in its formal capacity as the representative of 
     the interests of the United States in Iran) to the 3 young 
     United States citizens in accordance with the Vienna 
     Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 
     1963: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) encourages the Government of Iran to grant consular 
     access by the Government of Switzerland to Joshua Fattal, 
     Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd, and to allow the 3 young 
     people to communicate by telephone with their families in the 
     United States; and
       (2) encourages the Government of Iran to allow Joshua 
     Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd to reunite with their 
     families in the United States as soon as possible.

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I seek recognition to discuss legislation 
I have introduced encouraging the Government of Iran to grant consular 
access to and promptly release three young Americans who have been 
detained in Iran for the past 8 weeks after they reportedly crossed 
into Iran while on a hike in Iraqi Kurdistan.
  On July 31, 2009, University of California, Berkeley graduates Joshua 
Fattal, 27, Shane Bauer, 27, and Sarah Shourd, 30, went ``on a hike 
near the border of Iraqi Kursdistan and Iran in an area known for 
beautiful views and a waterfall, along an unmarked section of the 
border that zigzags.'' The three inadvertently crossed into Iranian 
territory and were detained by Iranian officials.
  While the Government of Iran has confirmed it is holding Joshua, 
Shane and Sarah, it has yet to grant the Embassy of the Government of 
Switzerland, in its formal capacity as the representative of the 
interests of the United States in Iran, consular access to the three in 
accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Nor has 
the Government of Iran allowed Joshua, Shane and Sarah to telephone 
their families in the United States to let them know they are well.
  Based on news accounts I have read, I have every confidence that the 
three entered Iranian territory accidentally, perhaps due to, as I 
understand it, the absence of clear border markers in the region near 
Ahmed Awa. On August 8, an Iraqi government official was quoted as 
saying the three young Americans crossed the border ``unintentionally 
and mistakenly.''
  The legislation which I have introduced encourages the Government of 
Iran to: Grant consular access by the Embassy of the Government of 
Switzerland to the three United States citizens in accordance with the 
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations; Allow Joshua, Shane and Sarah 
to communicate by telephone with their families in the U.S.; and Allow 
Joshua, Shane and Sarah to reunite with their families in the U.S. at 
the soonest possible opportunity.
  It is clear to me that Joshua, Shane and Sarah made a careless 
navigational mistake which they will not soon repeat. It is my sincere 
hope that the Government of Iran quickly comes to this conclusion and 
releases them so they can be reunited with their families in the U.S. 
at the earliest opportunity, as all have anguished too much already.

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