[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 25 (Thursday, February 11, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S881-S882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN TO FULFILL ITS PROMISES OF ASSISTANCE 
                     IN THE CASE OF ROBERT LEVINSON

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 365, S. Res. 99.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 99) calling on the Government of Iran 
     to fulfill its promises of assistance in the case of Robert 
     Levinson, the longest held United States civilian in our 
     Nation's history.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations, with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble and an 
amendment to the title.
  (Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part 
printed in italic.)
  (Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic.)

                               S. Res. 99

       Whereas United States citizen Robert Levinson is a retired 
     agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a 
     resident of Coral Springs, Florida, the husband of Christine 
     Levinson, and father of their seven children;
       Whereas Robert Levinson traveled from Dubai, United Arab 
     Emirates, to Kish Island, Iran, on March 8, 2007;
       Whereas, after traveling to Kish Island and checking into 
     the Hotel Maryam, Robert Levinson disappeared on March 9, 
     2007;
       Whereas, in December 2007, Robert Levinson's wife, 
     Christine, traveled to Kish Island to retrace Mr. Levinson's 
     steps and met with officials of the Government of Iran who 
     pledged to help in the investigation;
       Whereas, for more than eight years, the United States 
     Government has continually pressed the Government of Iran to 
     provide any information on the whereabouts of Robert Levinson 
     and to help ensure his prompt and safe return to his family;
       Whereas officials of the Government of Iran promised their 
     continued assistance to the relatives of Robert Levinson 
     during the visit of the family to the Islamic Republic of 
     Iran in December 2007;
       Whereas, in November 2010, the Levinson family received a 
     video of Mr. Levinson in captivity, representing the first 
     proof of life since his disappearance and providing some 
     initial indications that he was being held somewhere in 
     southwest Asia;

[[Page S882]]

       Whereas, in April 2011, the Levinson family received a 
     series of pictures of Mr. Levinson, which provided further 
     indications that he was being held somewhere in southwest 
     Asia;
       Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry stated on August 28, 
     2013, ``The United States respectfully asks the Government of 
     the Islamic Republic of Iran to work cooperatively with us in 
     our efforts to help U.S. citizen Robert Levinson.'';
       Whereas, on September 28, 2013, during the first direct 
     phone conversation between the heads of governments of the 
     United States and Iran since 1979, President Barack Obama 
     raised the case of Robert Levinson to President of Iran 
     Hassan Rouhani and urged the President of Iran to help locate 
     Mr. Levinson and reunite him with his family;
       Whereas, on August 29, 2014, Secretary of State Kerry again 
     stated that the United States ``respectfully request[s] the 
     Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran work cooperatively 
     with us to find Mr. Levinson and bring him home'';
       Whereas, on July 14, 2015, the Governments of the United 
     States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, Germany, 
     and Iran agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action;
       Whereas, on January 16, 2016, the Government of Iran 
     released five United States citizens detained in Iran, Jason 
     Rezaian of California, Saeed Abedini of Idaho, Amir Mirzaei 
     Hekmati of Michigan, Matthew Trevithick of Massachusetts, and 
     Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari;
       Whereas, on January 17, 2016, President Obama stated that 
     ``even as we rejoice in the safe return of others, we will 
     never forget about Bob,'' referring to Robert Levinson, and 
     that ``each and every day but especially today our hearts are 
     with the Levinson family and we will never rest until their 
     family is whole again'';
       Whereas, on January 19, 2016, White House Press Secretary 
     Josh Earnest stated that the United States Government had 
     ``secured a commitment from the Iranians to use the channel 
     that has now been opened to secure the release of those 
     individuals that we know were being held by Iran. . .to try 
     and gather information about Mr. Levinson's possible 
     whereabouts'';
       Whereas, on November 26, 2013, Mr. Levinson became the 
     longest held United States civilian in our Nation's history; 
     and
       Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced a 
     $5,000,000 reward for information leading to Mr. Levinson's 
     safe return: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,
     That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes that Robert Levinson is the longest held 
     United States civilian in our Nation's history;
       (2) notes the repeated pledges by and renewed commitment of 
     officials of the Government of Iran to provide their 
     Government's assistance in the case of Robert Levinson;
       (3) urges the Government of Iran, as a humanitarian 
     gesture, to act on its promises to assist in the case of 
     Robert Levinson and to immediately provide all available 
     information from all entities of the Government of Iran 
     regarding the disappearance of Robert Levinson to the United 
     States Government;
       (4) urges the President and the allies of the United States 
     to continue to raise with officials of the Government of Iran 
     the case of Robert Levinson at every opportunity, 
     notwithstanding ongoing and serious disagreements the United 
     States Government has with the Government of Iran on a broad 
     array of issues, including Iran's ballistic missile program, 
     sponsorship of international terrorism, and human rights 
     abuses; and
       (5) expresses sympathy to the family of Robert Levinson for 
     their anguish and expresses hope that their ordeal can be 
     brought to an end in the near future.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
amendment to the resolution be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, 
be agreed to; the committee-reported amendment to the preamble be 
agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; that the committee-
reported title amendment be agreed to; and that the motions to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 99), as amended, was agreed to.
  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble in the nature of a 
substitute was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The committee-reported title amendment was agreed to, as follows:

       Amend the title so as to read: ``A resolution calling on 
     the Government of Iran to follow through on repeated promises 
     of assistance in the case of Robert Levinson, the longest 
     held United States civilian in our Nation's history.''.

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