[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 165 (Friday, November 6, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H12546-H12549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS

  Mr. McMAHON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 209) recognizing the 30th 
anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis, during which 52 United 
States citizens were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979, 
to January 20, 1981, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 209

       Whereas, in the face of internal political upheaval in 
     Iran, the United States Government maintained a diplomatic 
     presence in

[[Page H12547]]

     Tehran following the fall of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in 
     January 1979, and sought to engage the new provisional 
     government of Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan;
       Whereas, on November 4, 1979, Iranian militants scaled the 
     walls of the United States Embassy in Tehran and took 63 
     United States citizens and diplomats hostage;
       Whereas three more United States citizens were taken 
     prisoner at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, for a total of 66 
     hostages;
       Whereas the occupiers bound and blindfolded the embassy 
     staff and military personnel and paraded them in front of 
     photographers;
       Whereas a total of 52 United States citizens were held 
     hostage for 444 days until January 20, 1981, in isolated and 
     under psychologically intimidating and onerous conditions;
       Whereas Iranian militants violated the principle of 
     diplomatic immunity and United States sovereignty;
       Whereas Ayatollah Khomeini endorsed the seizure of the 
     United States Embassy and detention of United States hostages 
     and toppled the Bazargan government, instructing that no 
     Iranian officials hold discussions with United States 
     representatives;
       Whereas the Soviet Union vetoed United States initiatives 
     at the United Nations Security Council to impose collective 
     economic sanctions on Iran;
       Whereas the United States broke off diplomatic relations 
     with Iran on April 7, 1980, following unsuccessful diplomatic 
     efforts to free the hostages;
       Whereas, on April 24, 1980, the United States launched 
     Operation Eagle Claw, a high-risk rescue operation to free 
     the hostages;
       Whereas the rescue mission was aborted when three 
     helicopters malfunctioned;
       Whereas the following United States military personnel from 
     the all-volunteer Joint Special Operations Group lost their 
     lives and three more were injured in the Great Salt Desert 
     near Tabas, Iran, on April 25, 1980, in the aborted attempt 
     to rescue the United States hostages--
       (1) Capt. Richard L. Bakke, 34, Long Beach, CA, Air Force;
       (2) Sgt. John D. Harvey, 21, Roanoke, VA, Marine Corps;
       (3) Cpl. George N. Holmes, Jr., 22 Pine Bluff, AR, Marine 
     Corps;
       (4) Staff Sgt. Dewey L. Johnson, 32, Jacksonville, NC, 
     Marine Corps;
       (5) Capt. Harold L. Lewis, 35, Mansfield, CT, Air Force;
       (6) Tech. Sgt. Joel C. Mayo, 34, Bonifay, FL, Air Force;
       (7) Capt. Lynn D. McIntosh, 33, Valdosta, GA, Air Force; 
     and
       (8) Capt. Charles T. McMillan II, 28, Corrytown, TN, Air 
     Force;
       Whereas the Algerian Government brokered a January 19, 
     1981, agreement between Iran and the United States, to which 
     the United States agreed, under duress, resulting in the 
     release of the hostages on January 20, 1981;
       Whereas President Reagan asked former President Carter to 
     welcome the released hostages at Rhein-Mein Air Base; and
       Whereas the Iranian Government's commemoration of the 30th 
     anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis was met with street 
     protests against the repressive Iranian regime: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the 30th anniversary of the Iranian hostage 
     crisis, during which 52 United States citizens were held 
     hostage for 444 days;
       (2) honors the sacrifice and service of the United States 
     diplomats and military personnel held hostage and servicemen 
     who lost their lives and were wounded in a valiant attempt to 
     free the United States hostages;
       (3) in recognition of this sacrifice, hopes that the people 
     of the United States and Iran may embark on a new 
     relationship that fully reflects their most noble aspirations 
     for life and liberty;
       (4) expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who 
     embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, 
     and rule of law; and
       (5) urges the Secretary of State to make every effort to 
     assist United States citizens held hostage in Iran at any 
     time during the period beginning on November 4, 1979, and 
     ending on January 20, 1981, and their survivors in matters of 
     compensation related to such citizens' detention.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. McMAHON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McMAHON. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 209, 
which recognizes the 30th anniversary of the seizure of the United 
States Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979.
  In February 1979, shortly after the collapse of the Shah's regime, 
exiled religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran and 
whipped popular discontent into rabid anti-Americanism. When the Shah 
came to America for cancer treatment in October, the Ayatollah incited 
Iranian militants to attack the United States. Shortly thereafter, on 
November 4, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun and its 
employees taken captive. The hostage crisis had begun.
  Sixty-six Americans were taken hostage by the Iranians. They were 
separated into small groups which were not allowed to communicate with 
one another. They were completely cut off from the outside world, even 
from their families. They were blindfolded whenever their captors took 
them outside their rooms. Meals were served irregularly and were often 
inadequate.
  Particularly worrisome for the hostages was the lack of adequate 
medical care. Many of them were senior Embassy staff with serious 
health concerns. Above all, there was the psychological pressure of 
never knowing if they would be harmed or executed, if and when they 
would be released, or what, if anything, the American Government was 
doing to help them.
  Mr. Speaker, our brave diplomats and servicemen were held for well 
over a year. The Iranians released a few of the hostages along the way, 
but 52 of the original 66 who were captured were held for the entire 
444 days. All of the hostages made a heroic sacrifice for our Nation, 
and they deserve our eternal gratitude.
  We also lost eight courageous soldiers when their helicopters crashed 
in the Iranian desert on April 25, 1980, in a failed attempt to rescue 
the hostages. We honor their bravery and we mourn their loss. Our 
thoughts and prayers continue to go out to their families, Mr. Speaker.
  The Iranian regime's support for the holding of American hostages was 
a disgrace of the highest order, and it was far from the last time that 
the Iranian regime would show contempt for its international 
obligations, as we know. Iran continues to flout the will of the 
international community today with its nuclear weapons program and with 
its support for terrorism.
  Annually--and outrageously--the Iranian regime continues to mark the 
anniversary of the Embassy takeover as a celebration rather than as the 
badge of shame they should acknowledge it to be. This year, thousands 
of Iranian demonstrators turned the tables on the regime, fittingly 
using the occasion to declare their contempt for the Iranian 
leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, several of those who were taken hostage 30 years ago 
remain active in serving our Nation's interests today. One of them, 
Ambassador John W. Limbert, was a young political officer, already an 
accomplished Persian scholar, who was just finishing his third month at 
the Embassy when Iranian thugs took him and his colleagues hostage.
  Today, 30 years later, he is starting an assignment as Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Iranian Affairs at the State Department's 
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. For the past 3 years, he has been a 
professor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, which has 
granted him leave so he can assume his critically important position. 
He is not only a scholar but a first-rate diplomat. We honor him today, 
wish him well on his new assignment, and look forward to working with 
him.
  I commend my friend, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), 
for introducing this important resolution, and I urge my colleagues to 
join me in supporting it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution put forward 
by my good friend, the gentleman from Nebraska.
  Mr. Speaker, September 11, 2001, will be forever engrained in our 
collective consciousness as one of the most vicious attacks against our 
Nation. However, we have been targeted by a global, violent, Islamic 
extremist network since November 4, 1979.

[[Page H12548]]

  On this day, Iranian militants overran the United States Embassy in 
Tehran, and took innocent American hostages, with 52 of these brave 
Americans held for 444 days. U.S. diplomats, Embassy staff, and 
military personnel were bound and blindfolded, humiliated, and paraded 
in front of news cameras by their captors.

                              {time}  1830

  They endured unspeakable suffering and abuse for nearly 15 months in 
captivity. Since the capture of the United States embassy in Tehran 30 
years ago and the ensuing hostage crisis, Iran has increasingly viewed 
terrorism as a tool to achieve its ideological and strategic aims.
  These aims include exporting the revolution, supporting and arming 
militant Islamist extremist organizations and other groups worldwide, 
especially in the Middle East, attacking Israel, and destabilizing the 
governments of the more pragmatic and reformist Arab countries.
  One of the chief instruments for the implementation of these policies 
has been the jihadist organization, Hezbollah, which, since its 
inception, has been trained, financed and supported by the Iranian 
Revolutionary Guard Corps. In return, Hezbollah has helped advance 
Iranian interests through a sustained campaign against the United 
States and our allies in the Middle East, including but not limited to 
the 1983 attacks on the United States marine barracks and embassy in 
Lebanon; the bombing of the United States embassy annex in Beirut in 
1984; the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847; the taking of American and 
other hostages in Beirut throughout the 1980's; the June 1996 truck 
bombing of the Khobar Towers United States military housing complex in 
Saudi Arabia.
  Testifying at a subcommittee hearing that I chaired in February 2005, 
William Daugherty, a CIA veteran and one of the 52 Americans held 
hostage in Iran for 444 days 30 years ago, emphasized, ``The undeniable 
truth is that the United States Government has utterly failed to hold 
Iran accountable in any sustained and effective manner for its role in 
the cumulative deaths of over 275 American citizens and the wounding of 
well over 600 more.''
  Mr. Daugherty continued, ``Moreover, the United States Government has 
failed to undertake any action with the force or impact sufficient to 
deter the Iranian government from conducting terrorism against our 
interests.
  ``The absence of any credible response has served only to encourage 
the continuation of Iranian-sponsored terrorism, nor have those of us 
who are victims of Iranian terrorism received any justice from those 
acts.''
  Since Dr. Daugherty's testimony almost 5 years ago, Iran has been 
proactively involved in undermining United States and coalition 
interests in Iraq and Afghanistan, by providing material support and 
all types of weapons to extremists in both countries, so that they can 
kill and wound Americans. The number of U.S. victims of Iranian-
sponsored or Iranian-supported attacks continues to increase.
  The threat to our ally Israel has grown incredibly as well, with Iran 
increasing its involvement in the West Bank and Gaza in support of such 
Islamist extremist organizations as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic 
Jihad and Lebanon through its proxy, Hezbollah. Yet successive U.S. 
administrations have failed to properly recognize and confront the 
totality of the Iranian threat, from its history of supporting violent 
Islamic extremists, to its nuclear weapons program, unconventional 
weapons and ballistic missile development.
  In response, the United States must impose a cost so high on Tehran 
that it threatens the Iranian regime's survival unless it changes 
course. This approach will require applying immediate, comprehensive 
tough economic sanctions. Again, former hostage Dr. William Daugherty 
said it best, ``It is time for Iran to be called to account, not by 
pronouncements, but by clear, sustained and overwhelming action for its 
past, as well as for any future violations of international law.
  ``And it is time for American victims of Iranian terrorism, like 
those of us who were held hostage by the Iranian government, to receive 
the justice that is decades delayed. The Congress can see that this 
happens.''
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to strongly support this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McMAHON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am proud to yield as 
much time as he may consume to the author of the resolution, the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), an esteemed member of our 
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and thank her 
for her leadership and assistance in this important resolution as well.
  Mr. Speaker, this week holds special significance for our Nation, 
especially for the courageous U.S. diplomats and military personnel who 
were captured when militant student activists stormed the U.S. embassy 
in Tehran 30 years ago on November 4, 1979.
  Their 444-day hostage ordeal in Iran is forever etched in our 
Nation's memory. You cannot understand what is happening in the Middle 
East today without reference to this event. I introduced this 
resolution to remind us of the hostages' triumph in adversity, of the 
difficult lessons our policymakers learned during that grueling 
episode, to commemorate their service to our Nation and to honor those 
brave soldiers who were killed and wounded in a valiant rescue attempt.
  Our diplomats took a difficult assignment at a difficult time in the 
Middle East. Their courageous witness to the principles that we hold 
dear, just civil order and recourse to the orderly address of 
grievances, stands as a reminder of what is at stake now in the ancient 
land of Iran, a choice for peace and cooperation or a choice for 
repression, fear, and isolation.
  The quest for national prominence and prestige to which Iran 
understandably subscribes, absent the enduring values we have been 
fortunate to see enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, as well as the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is an empty quest. In his oft 
cited work, ``Democracy in America,'' Alexis de Tocqueville in essence 
concluded that America is great because America is good. We must 
constantly remind ourselves that the ongoing challenge to our Nation or 
any nation lies in the quest for what is good. This is the measure of 
greatness in a civilized world.
  Greatness not to dominate, but to liberate. Greatness, not to rule 
and coerce, but to govern wisely and with the consent of the people who 
seek to determine their own destiny within the framework of the just 
rule of law.
  This is the challenge before Iran today. To be a force for good in a 
region challenged to rise above long-standing grievances and 
injustices, to be a force for good in a world threatened by greed, 
terror and tyranny, or not.
  When President Ronald Reagan welcomed the former hostages to the 
White House on January 27, 1981, he stated, ``We hear it said that we 
live in an era of limit to our powers. Well, let it also be understood, 
there are limits to our patience.'' It is my hope, Mr. Speaker, that by 
honoring these brave men and women, we may inspire people throughout 
the world to work tirelessly for the freedom and justice they deserve 
and settle for nothing less.
  It is also my fervent hope that in recognition of this 30th 
anniversary, the people of the United States and Iran may embark on a 
new relationship that fully reflects the noblest aspirations for life 
and liberty.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McMAHON. Mr. Speaker, at this time it is my privilege and honor 
to recognize for 4 minutes my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman 
from Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the manager of this legislation, my 
dear friend from the Foreign Affairs Committee, for yielding.
  It is interesting to have this day to commemorate the sacrifice of 
Americans some 30 years ago who were held as hostages. A few minutes 
ago I tried to depict and have people be reminded of the tragedy of 
lost children during the earthquake in China, just visually picture 
what happened to those children.
  It is important as well to revisit visually what Americans had to go

[[Page H12549]]

through who were held hostage in Iran for more than a year. I saw some 
old video where I saw soldiers doing pushups and trying to keep 
themselves busy, Foreign Service personnel and others who were in that 
embassy that fateful day.
  This is an important acknowledgment of a transition that has frozen 
time for the Iranian people, frozen their rights, their opportunity for 
freedom and freedom of speech, the understanding of the concept of 
democracy. As we commemorate, not celebrate, those 30 years, we thank 
those Americans, those brave Americans who withstood all of that pain 
of being a hostage, being away from their family members when at the 
same time we owe them a debt, more than a debt of gratitude.
  We owe them the recognition that there are dissidents, Iranians, who 
are now on the ground fighting against, I believe, an illegally 
situated government that cannot document that that was a fair process 
and the brutality that occurred after that election when the Iranians 
stood up to be able to demand justice and a fair election.
  We must push for human rights in Iran. We must push for 
nonproliferation. We must demand transparency. Of course, their chief 
executive will suggest that we are demons, that we have no right to 
interfere into their business.
  Well, I would say the name of those brave Americans that lost a lot 
of their life for a period of time in our history, we owe them our 
persistence in ensuring that there is an opportunity for freedom and 
democracy in Iran.
  There were those, of course, who lost their lives in the attempt to 
rescue those individuals. I pay honor and tribute to them. In their 
name as well we must continue to fight for freedom.
  An enormous tragedy occurred yesterday in Texas at Fort Hood, and we 
respect and acknowledge the loss of those brave men and women. We also 
say that freedom demands our attention, both in terms of national 
security but as well for those who sacrifice for us every day.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 30th anniversary and thank the 
author of this legislation, of the Iranian hostage crisis, during which 
52 United States citizens were held hostage for 444 days. I acknowledge 
their sacrifice, the days they stayed away from their family and, as 
well, the sacrifice of those who attempted to save their lives.
  I express support for all of those Iranian citizens who now stand in 
the battle in the fight for human rights. I would argue that this 
legislation must be shown in action, and I ask my colleagues to support 
this initiative.

                              {time}  1845

  Mr. McMAHON. Mr. 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 New York (Mr. McMahon) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 209.
  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. McMAHON. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________