[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 157 (Tuesday, October 27, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H11830-H11832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ENCOURAGING IRAN TO REUNITE JOSHUA FATTAL, SHANE BAUER, AND SARAH 
                       SHOURD WITH THEIR FAMILIES

  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur 
in the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 45) encouraging 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 45

       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 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 allow Joshua 
     Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous materials on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. Con. Res. 45, a resolution 
encouraging the Government of Iran to allow the American prisoners 
Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd to reunite with their 
families in the United States as soon as possible.
  On July 31, 2009, these three American hikers were taken into custody 
by Iranian officials near northern Iraq. They were seized because the 
Iranians said they had crossed into Iranian territory while on a hike 
in a rural region near the Iraq-Iran border.
  The three hikers certainly had no malicious or devious intentions. 
The area they were hiking through, part of Iraqi Kurdistan, is 
mountainous but not obscure. In fact, it is becoming increasingly 
popular with tourists. If the three Americans did, indeed, cross into 
Iranian territory, they almost certainly did so unknowingly and 
unintentionally.
  At the time of her capture, 31-year old Sarah Shourd was teaching 
English in Damascus, Syria, where she was living with her boyfriend, 
Shane Bauer--a writer and photojournalist. Their friend and fellow 
University of California--Berkeley alumnus, Joshua Fattal, was 
traveling with them in Iraqi Kurdistan. Their adventure in Iraq turned 
into a nightmare when they were seized by the Iranians.
  This important resolution calls on the Government of Iran to provide 
these three innocent, young Americans, at a minimum, the opportunity to 
speak with their families by phone. It also encourages the Government 
of Iran to free them so they can be reunited with their families in the 
United States as soon as possible.
  Of course, Joshua, Shane and Sarah are not the only Americans 
currently being held in Iran. The Iranian-American scholar, Kian 
Tajbakhsh--an urban planner with a doctorate from Columbia University--
was arrested in July, and was sentenced last week to 15-years' 
imprisonment for his involvement in the peaceful demonstrations that 
followed the July 12 election fraud.
  Another Iranian-American, 71-year old Reza Taghavi, has been 
imprisoned since May 2008 without a trial or formal charges.
  In April, this body passed House Concurrent Resolution 36, regarding 
the case of the former FBI agent, Robert Levinson, who has been missing 
in Iran since 2007.
  As the United States and the international community engage Iran on 
its nuclear weapons program, we must not forget the plight of these 
innocent Americans. I commend Undersecretary of State William Burns for 
raising this issue with his Iranian counterpart at the October 1 Geneva 
meeting. I encourage him to continue to do so at all subsequent 
meetings with Iranian officials until our fellow citizens are freed.
  A New York Times editorial this past Saturday said it well, entitled 
``More Iranian Injustice.'' The editorial called for the immediate 
release of the imprisoned Americans, and it went on to read, ``Iran may 
sit at the negotiating table with the United States and other world 
powers, but it will never earn the respect it craves if it continues 
these kinds of human rights abuses.''
  I commend Senator Arlen Specter for introducing this timely 
resolution

[[Page H11831]]

in the Senate, and I commend our colleague from Pennsylvania, Allyson 
Schwartz. This deserves our deep appreciation for their leadership on 
this issue.
  Madam Speaker, we care passionately about the freedom of our fellow 
citizens, and it is in that spirit that I urge all of my colleagues to 
support this important resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, on July 31 of this year, the Iranian regime detained 
three U.S. citizens--Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd--who 
were hiking in northern Iraq and who allegedly strayed across the 
border by accident. Almost 3 full months later, Iran still holds them 
captive. This case should alert us once again to the true nature of the 
Iranian regime.
  Almost 30 years ago, on November 4, 1979, this regime took 53 
American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and it held them for 
444 days. Three decades later, this is a regime that continues to hold 
American citizens hostage. This is a regime that remains the largest 
state sponsor of terrorism in the world--from Beirut to Buenos Aires. 
This is a regime that continues to support Iraqi and Afghan violent 
Islamist groups, which are responsible for the deaths of Americans. 
This is a regime that openly seeks to wipe out our ally, the 
democratic, Jewish State of Israel, off the map, and it acts 
accordingly. This is a regime that continues to relentlessly pursue 
unconventional weapons and the missiles to carry them.
  Using conventional means, Iran has inflicted considerable damage on 
U.S. citizens, on our interests and on our allies during its 30-year 
war against America.
  I strongly support Senate Concurrent Resolution 45, which draws 
attention to the fact that Iran continues to hold U.S. citizens 
hostage. The regime must release these young Americans immediately and 
unconditionally, and the United States and other responsible nations 
must fully recognize the nature of the regime, and they need to apply 
every form of economic and political pressure in our arsenal--now, not 
later--to compel the regime to abandon its dangerous course.
  Madam Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz).
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this 
resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of three young American citizens who 
have been detained by the Government of Iran for nearly 3 months now.
  On July 31, 2009, Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd were 
taken into custody after purportedly crossing into the Iranian 
territory while hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan. It is a peaceful region of 
northern Iraq which has become increasingly popular as a hiking 
destination for many Westerners. During the hike, it seems they 
accidentally crossed over an unmarked border into Iran.
  As a result, these three young Americans, all graduates of the 
University of California-Berkley, have since been detained in Iran. 
While Swiss diplomats were finally permitted access to Josh, Sarah and 
Shane on September 29, the three have still not been allowed to have 
any contact with their families.
  In response to this action, I have sponsored in the House--and 
Senator Arlen Specter has spearheaded in the Senate--Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 45, which encourages the Government of Iran to allow Josh, 
Shane and Sarah to communicate by telephone with their families in the 
United States. More importantly, it also encourages the Government of 
Iran to allow them to reunite with their families here in the United 
States as soon as possible.

                              {time}  1700

  This resolution was unanimously passed by the Senate on October 6.
  Josh, whose family is from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, which I 
represent; Sarah; and Shane did not commit any malicious acts. They 
were three young Americans who have traveled extensively throughout the 
world seeking to learn about different societies and different 
cultures. Unfortunately, they made a single mistake: They got lost. For 
that they have been held for nearly 3 months with almost no contact 
with the outside world.
  As a mother, I can well imagine the pain and frustration the families 
of the three young adults feel as they wait, hoping, doing all that 
they can but with little power to compel action by Iran to free their 
children. I know, especially through my conversations with Mrs. Fattal, 
how important this resolution is to them and their families.
  I urge the Government of Iran to reunite Josh, Sarah, and Shane with 
their families, and I ask my colleagues to support this concurrent 
resolution and the strong but compassionate plea for action that it 
contains.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased now to yield 3 minutes to 
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
thank him also for carrying this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I am in strong support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 
45, which encourages the Government of Iran to allow the three American 
citizens detained in Iran to reunite with their families as soon as 
possible.
  Since July 2009--I think it was July 31--Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, 
and Sarah Shourd have been detained by the Government of Iran after 
inadvertently, inadvertently, crossing the unmarked border with Iran 
while attempting to hike in the mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan. Now, 
Sarah is a constituent, but Joshua and Shane, they are all graduates of 
the University of California in Berkeley, which is located in my 
district.
  I have had the opportunity to talk with family members of Sarah, and 
I know how difficult it is for them during these trying times and I 
know how they are doing everything they can do to seek their release.
  Reports indicate that for 3 months, the families of these young 
American citizens have had no contact with the detained, whether in 
person or by telephone. The lack of information regarding the 
whereabouts and welfare of their loved ones, as well as any indication 
of a timeline for their release, is deeply troubling.
  Under article 36 of the Vienna Convention, consular officers shall be 
provided access to an arrested, detained, or imprisoned national 
without delay. I was relieved to hear that on September 30, 2009, Swiss 
officials were finally granted consular access to the three detained 
American citizens. However, like my colleagues, like all of us, we are 
deeply concerned that these officials and the three lack freedom of 
communication, which is also provided for by the Vienna Convention on 
Consular Relations.
  This resolution importantly calls upon the Government of Iran to 
allow for Joshua, Shane, and Sarah to communicate by telephone with 
their families in the United States, who continue to passionately 
appeal to the Government of Iran for their timely and safe release. On 
September 22, President Ahmadinejad stated his intent to ask the 
Iranian judiciary to ``expedite the process'' of this case, as well as 
to ``look at the case with maximum leniency.''
  In accordance with this resolution, I hope that the Government of 
Iran will live up to its promise and act without delay to ensure that 
these young American citizens may be reunited with their families and 
loved ones.
  I stand in support of this resolution today. I want to thank the 
State Department and all of our colleagues for doing so much to try to 
gain the release of these three young individuals as soon as possible.
  I thank my colleagues for their support of this resolution.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) that the House suspend the rules 
and concur in the concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 45.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

[[Page H11832]]

  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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