[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SEEKING THE RELEASE OF AMERICAN CITIZENS HELD IN IRAN

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, each Nation is sovereign, but 
across the airwaves of American television today we saw flashed three 
Americans who have been held by the leadership in Iran, three innocent 
Americans who crossed, by mistake, on a hike into the sovereign area of 
Iran. I make a plea today for the President of Iran to release those 
individuals.
  Today he sent a missive, a message to say that he would release them 
if we release Iranians who are held in American jails. I believe that 
the right thing to do is to assess the innocence of these Americans, 
and to be able to engage in diplomacy on setting them free. If there is 
any cause for any innocent person who happens to be of Iranian descent 
that is here in the United States jails, I know that our leadership and 
criminal justice system will engage. But to hold hostage our innocent 
Americans who, by accident, during a hike, conspicuously crossed over 
and admitted it was a mistake is a shame on the international front and 
does not do justice to human rights around the world.

                          ____________________