[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H3464-H3470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IRAN HUMAN RIGHTS AND HOSTAGE-TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4744) to impose additional sanctions with respect 
to serious human rights abuses of the Government of Iran, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4744

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page H3465]]

  


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Iran Human Rights and 
     Hostage-Taking Accountability Act''.

     SEC. 2. UNITED STATES POLICY ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY 
                   THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Iran is a member of the United Nations, voted for the 
     Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is a signatory to 
     the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 
     among other international human rights treaties.
       (2) In violation of these and other international 
     obligations, Iranian regime officials continue to violate the 
     fundamental human rights of the Iranian people.
       (3) The Iranian regime persecutes ethnic and religious 
     minority groups, such as the Baha'is, Christians, Sufi, 
     Sunni, and dissenting Shi'a Muslims (such as imprisoned 
     Ayatollah Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi), through harassment, 
     arrests, and imprisonment, during which detainees have 
     routinely been beaten, tortured, and killed.
       (4) Following voting irregularities that resulted in the 
     2009 election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian 
     regime brutally suppressed peaceful political dissent from 
     wide segments of civil society during the Green Revolution in 
     a cynical attempt to retain its undemocratic grip on power.
       (5) Since February 2011 the leaders of Iran's Green 
     Movement, former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, his wife 
     Dr. Zahra Rahnavard, and former Speaker of the Majles 
     (parliament) Mehdi Karroubi, have lived under strict house 
     arrest, ordered by Iran's Supreme National Security Council.
       (6) In 1999 the Iranian regime brutally suppressed a 
     student revolt that was one of the largest mass uprisings up 
     until that point in the country since 1979.
       (7) Over a 4-month period in 1988, the Iranian regime 
     carried out the barbaric mass executions of thousands of 
     political prisoners by hanging and firing squad for refusing 
     to renounce their political affiliations and in some cases 
     for possessing political reading material, including 
     prisoners of conscience, teenagers, and pregnant women. In a 
     recently disclosed audiotape, the late Hussein Ali Montazeri, 
     a grand ayatollah who served as former Supreme leader 
     Khomeini's chief deputy, said that the 1988 mass killings 
     were ``the greatest crime committed during the Islamic 
     Republic, for which history will condemn us''.
       (8) Senior governmental, military, and public security 
     officials in Iran have continued ordering, controlling, and 
     committing egregious human rights violations that, in many 
     cases, represent official policies of the Iranian regime.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress 
     that the United States should--
       (1) deny the Government of Iran the ability to continue to 
     oppress the people of Iran and to use violence and executions 
     to silence pro-democracy protestors;
       (2) work with international partners to investigate human 
     rights violations by senior officials of the Government of 
     Iran, regardless of where or when such violations took place;
       (3) support efforts made by the people of Iran to promote 
     the establishment of basic freedoms that build the foundation 
     for the emergence of a freely elected, open, non-corrupt and 
     democratic political system;
       (4) condemn Iranian human rights abuses against dissidents, 
     including the massacre in 1988 and the suppression of 
     political demonstrations in 1999, 2009, and 2017, and 
     pressure the Government of Iran to provide family members 
     detailed information that they were denied about the final 
     resting places of any missing victims of such abuses; and
       (5) help the people of Iran produce, access, and share 
     information freely and safely via the internet and other 
     media.
       (c) Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of the 
     United States to stand with the people of Iran who seek the 
     opportunity to freely elect a government of their choosing, 
     and increase the utilization of all available authorities to 
     impose sanctions on officials of the Government of Iran and 
     other individuals responsible for serious human rights 
     abuses.

     SEC. 3. DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO IMPOSITION OF 
                   SANCTIONS ON CERTAIN PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR OR 
                   COMPLICIT IN HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, ENGAGING IN 
                   CENSORSHIP, ENGAGING IN THE DIVERSION OF GOODS 
                   INTENDED FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAN, OR ENGAGING IN 
                   CORRUPTION.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report containing a 
     determination of whether any senior officials of the 
     Government of Iran or other Iranian persons meet the criteria 
     described in--
       (1) subsection (b) of section 105D of the Comprehensive 
     Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, 
     as added by section 5 of this Act; or
       (2) paragraph (3) or (4) of section 1263(a) of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 
     114-328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note).
       (b) Review of Certain Entities.--The report required under 
     subsection (a) shall contain a review of any activities of 
     cooperative foundations or bonyads in Iran with a 
     capitalization that exceeds $200,000,000 and that meet the 
     criteria in paragraph (3) or (4) of section 1263(a) of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
     (Public Law 114-328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note) for purposes of 
     corruption.
       (c) Form of Report; Public Availability.--
       (1) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex.
       (2) Public availability.--The unclassified portion of such 
     report shall be made available to the public and posted on 
     the internet website of the Department of the Treasury--
       (A) in English, Farsi, Arabic, and Azeri; and
       (B) in precompressed, easily downloadable versions that are 
     made available in all appropriate formats.
       (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate 
     congressional committees'' means--
       (1) the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
       (2) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

     SEC. 4. UNITED STATES POLICY ON HOSTAGE-TAKING BY THE 
                   GOVERNMENT OF IRAN.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Since 1979 the Iranian regime has engaged in various 
     destabilizing activities that undermine the national security 
     of the United States and its allies and partners.
       (2) These activities include the hostage-taking or 
     prolonged arbitrary detentions of United States citizens and 
     other persons with connections to Canada, the United Kingdom, 
     France, and other nations allied with the United States.
       (3) The Iranian regime has detained on fabricated claims a 
     significant number of United States citizens, including 
     Siamak and Baquer Namazi and Xiyue Wang, as well as United 
     States legal permanent resident, Nizar Zakka, in violation of 
     international legal norms.
       (4) The Iranian regime has not provided information on the 
     whereabouts of or assistance in ensuring the prompt and safe 
     return of Robert Levinson, despite repeated promises to do 
     so, after he was kidnapped while visiting Iran's Kish Island 
     on March 9, 2007--making him the longest held hostage in 
     United States history.
       (5) The Iranian regime reportedly uses hostages as leverage 
     against foreign investors to exact business concessions in 
     foreign investment deals.
       (6) The type of hostage-taking enterprise put in place by 
     the Iranian regime is a crime against humanity and a 
     violation of customary international law.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress 
     that--
       (1) the Administration should fully utilize all necessary 
     and appropriate measures to prevent the Iranian regime from 
     engaging in hostage-taking or the prolonged arbitrary 
     detention of United States citizens or legal permanent 
     resident aliens, to include--
       (A) the use of extradition to try and convict those 
     individuals responsible for ordering or controlling the 
     hostage-taking or arbitrary detention of United States 
     citizens; and
       (B) the use of the Department of Homeland Security's Human 
     Rights Violators and War Crimes Center to target such 
     individuals; and
       (2) the United States should encourage its allies and other 
     affected countries to pursue the criminal prosecution and 
     extradition of state and non-state actors in Iran that assist 
     in or benefit from such hostage-taking to prevent such state 
     and non-state actors from engaging in this practice in the 
     future.
       (c) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United 
     States Government not to pay ransom for the purpose of 
     securing the release of United States citizens or legal 
     permanent resident aliens taken hostage abroad.
       (d) Strategy.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
     submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate a report that contains a strategy to prevent elements 
     of the Iranian regime from engaging in hostage-taking or the 
     prolonged arbitrary detention of United States citizens or 
     legal permanent resident aliens.

     SEC. 5. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO IRANIAN 
                   PERSONS WHO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN ACTIONS AGAINST 
                   UNITED STATES CITIZENS OR IRANIAN PERSONS.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the United States should coordinate with United States allies 
     and other allies and partners whose citizens may be subject 
     to politically-motivated detention or trial in Iran, to apply 
     sanctions against Iranian persons that are responsible for or 
     complicit in, or responsible for ordering, controlling, or 
     otherwise directing, such detention or trial.
       (b) In General.--Title I of the Comprehensive Iran 
     Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 is 
     amended by inserting after section 105C (22 U.S.C. 8514c) the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 105D. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO IRANIAN 
                   PERSONS WHO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN ACTIONS AGAINST 
                   UNITED STATES CITIZENS OR IRANIAN PERSONS.

       ``(a) In General.--The President shall impose sanctions 
     described in section 105(c)

[[Page H3466]]

     with respect to each person on the list required by 
     subsection (b).
       ``(b) List of Iranian Persons Who Engage in Certain Actions 
     Against United States Citizens or Iranian Persons.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this section, the President shall submit 
     to the appropriate congressional committees a list of Iranian 
     persons that the President determines, are knowingly--
       ``(A) responsible for or complicit in, or responsible for 
     ordering or otherwise directing, the politically-motivated 
     harassment, abuse, extortion, or extended detention or trial 
     of citizens of the United States or United States legal 
     permanent resident aliens, regardless of whether such actions 
     occurred in Iran; or
       ``(B) responsible for or complicit in, or responsible for 
     ordering or otherwise directing, the politically-motivated 
     harassment, abuse, extortion, or extended detention or trial 
     of Iranians, Iranian residents, or persons of Iranian origin 
     outside of Iran.
       ``(2) Updates of list.--The President shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees an updated list under 
     paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) each time the President is required to submit an 
     updated list to those committees under section 105(b)(2)(A); 
     and
       ``(B) as new information becomes available.
       ``(3) Form of report; public availability.--
       ``(A) Form.--The list required by paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified 
     annex.
       ``(B) Public availability.--The unclassified portion of the 
     list required by paragraph (1) shall be made available to the 
     public and posted on the websites of the Department of the 
     Treasury and the Department of State.
       ``(c) Application of Sanctions to Immediate Family 
     Members.--
       ``(1) In general.--The President is authorized to impose 
     sanctions described in paragraph (2) with respect to each 
     person that is a family member of any person on the list 
     required by subsection (b).
       ``(2) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or parole.--
       ``(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien who the 
     Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or 
     a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or has reason 
     to believe, is a family member of any person on the list 
     required by subsection (b) is--
       ``(i) inadmissible to the United States;
       ``(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation 
     to enter the United States; and
       ``(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into 
     the United States or to receive any other benefit under the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
       ``(B) Current visas revoked.--
       ``(i) In general.--The issuing consular officer, the 
     Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or 
     a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall revoke any visa 
     or other entry documentation issued to an alien who is a 
     family member of any person on the list required by 
     subsection (b) regardless of when issued.
       ``(ii) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under clause 
     (i)--

       ``(I) shall take effect immediately; and
       ``(II) shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or 
     entry documentation that is in the alien's possession.

       ``(3) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters 
     agreement.--Sanctions under paragraph (2) shall not apply to 
     an alien if admitting the alien into the United States is 
     necessary to permit the United States to comply with the 
     Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, 
     signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force 
     November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United 
     States, or other applicable international obligations.
       ``(4) Definition of family member.--In this section, the 
     term `family member' means, with respect to an individual--
       ``(A) a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandchild, or 
     grandparent of the individual; and
       ``(B) a spouse's child, parent, or sibling.
       ``(d) Termination of Sanctions.--The provisions of this 
     section shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after the 
     date on which the President--
       ``(1) determines and certifies to the appropriate 
     congressional committees that the Government of Iran is no 
     longer complicit in or responsible for the wrongful and 
     unlawful detention of United States citizens or legal 
     permanent resident aliens; and
       ``(2) transmits to the appropriate congressional committees 
     the certification described in section 105(d) of this Act.''.
       (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the 
     Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment 
     Act of 2010 is amended by inserting after the item relating 
     to section 105C the following new item:

``Sec. 105D. Imposition of sanctions with respect to Iranian persons 
              who engage in certain actions against United States 
              citizens or Iranian persons.''.

       (d) Amendments to General Provisions.--Section 401 of the 
     Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment 
     Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8551) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``and 305'' and 
     inserting ``, 105D, and 305''; and
       (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
       (A) by striking ``or 105C(a)'' and inserting ``105C(a), or 
     105D(a)''; and
       (B) by striking ``or 105C(b)'' and inserting ``105C(b), or 
     105D(b)''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include any extraneous material on H.R. 4744, currently 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in January this body came together. It was a near 
unanimous vote to support the Iranian people, who were engaged in 
legitimate protests against a very oppressive regime. I want to thank 
Mr. Mike McCaul here, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, 
and Mr. Eliot Engel, the ranking member of our Committee on Foreign 
Affairs, for their engagement in this issue.
  At the time, we were witnessing tens of thousands of Iranians who had 
taken to the streets in the largest demonstration that we had seen 
since the Green Revolution of 2009. The protests, aimed at economic 
stagnation, aimed at widespread corruption--and people were talking 
about that all the time--aimed at the Revolutionary Guard Corps' 
control over that economy because they had nationalized, seized, so 
much of that economy. And quickly we saw that spread across Iran, as 
Persians sought to exercise the fundamental right of freedom of 
expression, as people across that country, of every ethnicity and every 
religion, began to speak out.
  Many demonstrators shouted slogans aimed at Iran's costly support for 
Syria's Bashar al-Assad, if you recall, from reading the press 
accounts. And they attacked, they argued about the cost, the support 
that went to the terrorist groups such as Hezbollah. Predictably, the 
Iranian regime moved swiftly to quash the demonstrations and throttle 
social media.
  More than 1,000 Iranians were jailed, dozens were killed. H. Res. 676 
condemned this brutal violence back in January, called for targeted 
sanctions to hold the regime to account. But today we act to make good 
on that call, because the bill before us today, Chairman McCaul's H.R. 
4744, requires the administration to determine whether senior Iranian 
officials should be sanctioned for human rights abuses. And it also 
requires determinations on whether Iranian businesses should be 
sanctioned for public corruption with respect to those who are involved 
in corruption. And it mandates sanctions on those officials responsible 
for Iran's wrongful, politically motivated jailing of U.S. citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, for years the regime in Tehran has systematically beat 
down all opposition inside Iran. It regularly uses brutal tactics back 
in Iran, including torture and mass executions, as it seeks to export 
violence and radical ideology abroad as well. I think all of us can 
think back to that 1979 revolution and contemplate how much better Iran 
would have been had it not went off onto a path of becoming a rogue 
state.
  As this legislation details, today the regime flagrantly disregards 
commitments it has made to respect the fundamental rights of the 
Iranian people. Many of us recall the barbaric mass executions carried 
out over a 4-month period in 1988. And I dare say, if you know any 
Persians, if you know people who escaped from Iran, you know that, 
during that period of time leading up to 1988, there were over 30,000 
students and young professionals who lost their lives as a consequence.
  We know that the political prisoners there went through a grueling 
experience, in Evin Prison and other prisons. Many were executed by 
hanging, many by firing squad. They refused to renounce their political 
affiliations, and that was the fate that was handed out to them.

[[Page H3467]]

  And today the regime still persecutes ethnic and religious minority 
groups; such as, the Baha'i; Christians, of course; Sufi; Sunni; 
dissenting Shia Muslims. And we all remember the way the ayatollah 
brutally suppressed the peaceful political dissent during the Green 
Revolution, during which the previous administration remained 
embarrassingly silent, in my view. And many of us here on this floor 
today spoke up often at that time about that dissent during the Green 
Revolution, because I think this was a real opportunity missed by the 
United States.
  So again, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman McCaul and I want to 
thank Ranking Member Engel for their leadership on this legislation. I 
am glad we have strong bipartisan support for this measure. Regardless 
of how one views the Iran nuclear agreement, it is critical that the 
United States and our allies continue to press Iran for its dangerous 
and threatening acts that fall outside of the JCPOA.
  This is an area where officials from both the Trump and Obama 
administrations agree, and they agree for good reason here. Remember, 
this is the same regime that is holding American citizens, including 
one who is in very poor health, on sham charges in one of the largest 
ransom schemes, from my standpoint, that was ever devised.
  This regime, of course, held its first American hostages in 1979, 
when it overran our U.S. Embassy. The regime's MO remains the same. It 
is far past time the regime faced consequences for its attacks on 
Iranians and Americans alike.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Ways and Means,

                                   Washington, DC, April 13, 2018.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: I am writing with respect to H.R. 
     4744, the ``Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking 
     Accountability Act,'' on which Ways and Means was granted an 
     additional referral.
       As a result of your having consulted with us on provisions 
     in H.R. 4744 that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Ways and Means, I agree to waive formal 
     consideration of this bill so that it may move expeditiously 
     to the floor. The Committee on Ways and Means takes this 
     action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any 
     jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or 
     similar legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation 
     moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues 
     that fall within our jurisdiction. The Committee also 
     reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate 
     number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving 
     this or similar legislation, and requests your support for 
     such request.
       Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter 
     confirming this understanding, and would ask that a copy of 
     our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 4744.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Kevin Brady,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, April 13, 2018.
     Hon. Kevin Brady,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Brady: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 4744, the Iran Human Rights and 
     Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, so that the bill may 
     proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would 
     support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate 
     number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate 
     conference on this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 4744 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                   Washington, DC, April 16, 2018.
     Hon. Ed Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: I am writing concerning H.R. 4744, the 
     Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.
       As a result of your having consulted with the Committee on 
     Financial Services concerning provisions in the bill that 
     fall within our Rule X jurisdiction, I agree to forgo action 
     on the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House 
     Floor. The Committee on Financial Services takes this action 
     with our mutual understanding that, by foregoing 
     consideration of H.R. 4744, at this time, we do not waive any 
     jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or 
     similar legislation, and that our Committee will be 
     appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar 
     legislation moves forward so that we may address any 
     remaining issues that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. 
     Our Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of 
     an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation, and 
     requests your support for any such request.
       Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter 
     confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 4744 and 
     would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this 
     matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration thereof.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jeb Hensarling,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, April 17, 2018.
     Hon. Jeb Hensarling
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hensarling: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 4744, the Iran Human Rights and 
     Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, so that the bill may 
     proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this resolution or similar legislation in the future. I 
     would support your effort to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any 
     House-Senate conference on this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 4744 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                   Washington, DC, April 17, 2018.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: I write with respect to H.R. 4744, the 
     ``Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.'' 
     As a result of your having consulted with us on provisions 
     within H.R. 4744 that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of 
     the Committee on the Judiciary, I forego any further 
     consideration of this bill so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
       The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 4744 at 
     this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our 
     committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as 
     this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may 
     address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our 
     committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation and asks 
     that you support any such request.
       I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 4744 and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of the bill.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, April 17, 2018.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 4744, the Iran Human Rights and 
     Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, so that the bill may 
     proceed expeditiously to the House floor.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this bill or similar legislation in the future. I would 
     support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate 
     number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate 
     conference on this legislation.

[[Page H3468]]

       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 4744 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this measure. Let me start 
by thanking Congressmen Deutch and McCaul, both valued members of the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, for their hard work on this bill. I want 
to also thank Chairman Ed Royce, who has been a strong bipartisan voice 
in things that are so important to our country and to the world. We 
always say that we take pride in having the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs being the most bipartisan committee in the entire Congress.
  Iran has isolated itself on the global stage because it refuses to 
abandon a range of aggressive activities that pose a threat to the 
region and a threat to the entire international community. On that list 
is the regime's terrible mistreatment of its own people and its heinous 
practice of prolonged and politically motivated detentions of American 
citizens.
  The bill before us now seeks to put an end to these intolerable 
practices. It would place sanctions on anyone responsible for 
politically motivated harassment, abuse, extortion, extended detention, 
or trial of Americans or Iranians.
  Earlier this year, we stood on this floor in solidarity with 
protestors in Iran who sought a better future for their country and for 
the next generation. They wanted to see their government abandon its 
support for Iranian proxy forces and terrorist groups, like Hezbollah, 
in favor of funding healthcare and employment opportunities for average 
Iranians.
  This is a country that has suffered so much under the ayatollahs and 
the economic mismanagement of its leaders. The protests in December and 
January were a stark reminder of the regime's tight grip on power, as 
many protesters were killed in the streets and blocked from 
communicating with the outside world.
  Today, as we pass this legislation, we think about the Americans who 
currently sit in Iranian prisons. We think about Robert Levinson, Mr. 
Deutch's constituent, who has been missing for over 11 years, who has 
missed the weddings of his children and the births of his 
grandchildren.

                              {time}  1630

  The Iranian regime had promised to cooperate with the investigation 
to locate Mr. Levinson, but to this date, that cooperation has been 
virtually nonexistent.
  There is no real clarity in U.S. policy toward Iran. The United 
States faces a looming deadline on the nuclear deal, and the future 
remains uncertain. But there is one thing we can all agree on: we 
cannot let up the pressure on Iran for its human rights violations, 
particularly against American citizens.
  So, again, I want to thank Mr. McCaul and Mr. Deutch for doing a 
great job with this. This is a bipartisan piece of legislation. If you 
care about the injustices going on in Iran, then it is important to 
support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), chairman of the Committee on 
Homeland Security and the author of this bill.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for my bill to 
hold the Iranian regime accountable for its continued human rights 
violations.
  I introduced the Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking Accountability 
Act with Congressman Deutch, and I am grateful for Chairman Royce and 
Ranking Member Engel's support in this effort.
  The Iranian regime continues to perpetrate gross human rights abuses 
against its own people. They continue to suppress and censor their 
people's calls for democratic reform. They recklessly use their 
nation's resources to expand their destabilizing influence and support 
of terrorism. They continue to engage in corrupt practices, and they 
continue to illegally detain and imprison our citizens without just 
cause. This is simply unacceptable.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill serves as a clear signal to the people of Iran 
that we support their quest for freedom. It shines a light on the 
regime's human rights violations and targets Iranian officials guilty 
of corruption, censorship, and the diversion of goods intended for the 
Iranian people. It requires the President to work with our 
international partners to develop a strategy to end this inhumane 
behavior and sanctions those officials complicit in those crimes. 
Finally, it sanctions those individuals who take Americans hostage.
  Mr. Speaker, today, there are more than six American citizens and 
permanent U.S. residents held by the Iranian regime in a shameful 
attempt to use innocent human lives as political bargaining chips. 
These hostages include: Bob Levinson, Congressman Deutch's constituent, 
who has been missing since 2007 and remains America's longest held 
hostage; Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer, held since 
2015 and 2016, respectively; Ph.D. student, Xiyue Wang, held since 
2017; internet freedom activist, Nizar Zakka, held since 2016; and 
others.
  The United States has a moral responsibility to devote resources to 
these hostages and make their return a priority. I sent a letter with 
Congressman Lieu and 46 other Members of Congress requesting that the 
administration keep Congress informed as to what steps they are taking 
to guarantee this happens.
  So, again, I thank the chairman and ranking member, Congressman 
Deutch, for their leadership on this bipartisan effort to hold Iran 
accountable.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the letter dated April 23, 2018.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                   Washington, DC, April 23, 2018.
     Hon. John J. Sullivan,
     Acting Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Acting Secretary Sullivan: We write to request 
     information regarding the Administration's efforts to secure 
     the release of American citizens and permanent U.S. residents 
     held hostage by the government of Iran.
       As you know, Iran has a long history of unjustly holding 
     hostages in violation of international law dating back to 
     1979. Over the years, the Iranian regime has arrested dozens 
     of foreigners on spurious charges and convicted them in sham 
     trials held in secretive courts. Many of the detained 
     American citizens and permanent residents are also held in 
     deplorable conditions, where they experience severe health 
     and psychological issues.
       Today, there are more than six American citizens and 
     permanent U.S. residents held by the Iranian regime in a 
     shameful attempt to use innocent human lives as political 
     bargaining chips. These hostages include Bob Levinson, who 
     has been missing since 2007 and remains America's longest-
     held hostage; Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father 
     Baquer, held since 2015 and 2016, respectively; PhD student 
     Xiyue Wang, held since 2016; internet freedom activist Nizar 
     Zakka, held since 2016; and others. The United States has a 
     moral responsibility to devote resources to these hostages 
     and make their return a priority.
       This past month, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed 
     H.R. 4744, the Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking 
     Accountability Act, to increase U.S. leverage by levying new 
     sanctions on those responsible for detaining U.S. citizens or 
     legal permanent respondents in Iran. But more sticks must be 
     complemented with a coordinated diplomatic effort with our 
     allies.
       According to media reports, the State Department has 
     increased efforts in recent months to secure the release of 
     these hostages, including outreach to the Iranian regime in 
     December 2017 that has gone unanswered. On April 6, 2018, the 
     Department outlined efforts that have been undertaken in a 
     report to Congress pursuant to Section 110 of the Countering 
     America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. We request that 
     the Department provide some additional details to Congress. 
     Specifically, please provide answers to the following 
     questions in either written responses or a briefing:
       1. How has Iran responded to the various lines of effort 
     made by the U.S., as detailed in the April 6 report to 
     Congress, to raise the detention cases?
       2. According to a June 20, 2017, article from the 
     Washington Post, two senior officials from the Trump 
     administration stated a range of options were being 
     considered, which included ``sticks more than carrots.'' What 
     specific tools are being considered to secure the release of 
     detained Americans and permanent U.S. residents?
       3. Does the Administration require any new authorities from 
     Congress to utilize these tools?
       4. What is the Administration's strategy for 
     disincentivizing and deterring foreign

[[Page H3469]]

     governments, particularly Iran, from taking Americans and 
     permanent U.S. residents hostage in the future?
       Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
           Sincerely,
       Ted W. Lieu, Member of Congress; Michael McCaul, Member of 
     Congress; Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Member of Congress; Ted 
     Deutch, Member of Congress; James P. McGovern, Member of 
     Congress; Brian Fitzpatrick, Member of Congress; Donald M. 
     Payne, Jr., Member of Congress; Randy Hultgren, Member of 
     Congress; Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Member of Congress; 
     Jerrold Nadler, Member of Congress; Steve Cohen, Member of 
     Congress; Bobby L. Rush, Member of Congress; David N. 
     Cicilline, Member of Congress; Nita M. Lowey, Member of 
     Congress; Jose E. Serrano, Member of Congress.
       Daniel W. Lipinski, Member of Congress; Joe Wilson, Member 
     of Congress; Peter King, Member of Congress; Francis Rooney, 
     Member of Congress; Mark Meadows, Member of Congress; Adriano 
     Espaillat, Member of Congress; Brad Sherman, Member of 
     Congress; Eleanor Holmes Norton, Member of Congress; Lee 
     Zeldin, Member of Congress; Steve Chabot, Member of 
     Congress; Paul Cook, Member of Congress; Eliot Engel, 
     Member of Congress; Ted Poe, Member of Congress; Bradley 
     S. Schneider, Member of Congress; Grace Meng, Member of 
     Congress.
       Tom Suozzi, Member of Congress; Pete Sessions, Member of 
     Congress; Albio Sires, Member of Congress; Frank Pallone, 
     Jr., Member of Congress; Thomas A. Garrett, Jr., Member of 
     Congress; John Ratcliffe, Member of Congress; Josh 
     Gottheimer, Member of Congress; Lois Frankel, Member of 
     Congress; Derek Kilmer, Member of Congress; Patrick Meehan, 
     Member of Congress; Leonard Lance, Member of Congress; Randy 
     Weber, Member of Congress; Bill Johnson, Member of Congress; 
     David P. Joyce, Member of Congress; Adam Kinzinger, Member of 
     Congress; Elise Stefanik, Member of Congress.

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Deutch), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the 
Middle East and North Africa of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Engel and Chairman 
Royce for their support of this legislation, and I give special thanks 
to my colleague, Chairman McCaul, for his leadership in recognizing the 
need to take action.
  We must work together to stop the brutal Iranian regime's human 
rights abuses and demand the release of American hostages that Iran is 
using as pawns for political leverage. I am proud to partner with Mr. 
McCaul in this effort
  The Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act sends a 
clear message to the Iranian regime and to the rest of the world: this 
Congress, this country will not tolerate the flagrant disregard of the 
most basic of human rights.
  My colleagues have explained the merits of this bill, and I know it 
is difficult for many Americans to imagine, but we are here today to 
show our resolve in the face of really unbelievable circumstances.
  For my constituents, the family of Robert Levinson, this is a 
nightmare that they have lived for 11 years. Bob Levinson is the 
longest held American hostage in history. He disappeared in Iran on 
March 9, 2007.
  Imagine 11 years without your husband or your father.
  Imagine having grandchildren who have never had the chance to meet 
their grandfather.
  Imagine 11 anniversaries, dozens of family birthdays, and holidays 
that pass by without Bob, just an empty place where Bob should be 
sitting.
  Bob's wife, Christine, and his seven children--Susan, Stephanie, 
Sarah, Dan, David, Samantha, and Doug--have been tireless advocates for 
their father. They have traveled to Iran themselves looking for 
answers. They have made the trip to Washington, D.C., countless times 
to meet with government officials and Members of Congress.
  They have fought for action all the way to the Oval Office, directly 
appealing to President Bush, President Obama, and President Trump. They 
have watched as others have returned home to their families. They have 
listened with hope as Iran's leaders have promised cooperation. They 
have been disappointed more times than they can count as promises go 
unfulfilled year after year after year.
  Iran has become adept at this cruel game, because that is what it is 
to this rogue Iranian regime. They say that hostages are not hostages, 
but these people are not detained under a legal order. They have lost 
their freedom; they have been separated from their families; and they 
have been held under shamelessly trumped-up and false charges. Any 
attempt to show due process or trials has been a sham.
  To the Levinsons, to the Namazi family, the Zakka family, the Wang 
family, and the other families whose loved ones are being held, we 
stand with you. Today, we speak clearly and loudly with one bipartisan 
voice to send a message that no country, no rogue regime will use 
American lives as leverage to further a dangerous agenda.
  This bill isn't about the nuclear deal. Nothing in this deal 
precludes our continued participation in the JCPOA. But this bill makes 
clear the importance of closely coordinating with our allies and 
partners whose citizens have also been held hostage by Iran to apply 
pressure on the regime.
  If we are going to counter Iran's abuses, Iran's terrorism, Iran's 
threats to our troops and our national security interests, we must work 
in tandem with our partners around the globe. We will stand together 
against repression and the violation of human rights. We will stand 
together against religious persecution. We will stand together for the 
rule of law and democratic values.
  Taking hostages and violating the most fundamental values that cut to 
the core of our dignity as human beings is unacceptable to this 
Congress and to members of the international community. I urge all of 
my colleagues to stand up to Iran's rogue regime, to stand up for human 
rights and for the people of Iran, to stand with the Levinsons and the 
other families whose loved ones are missing from their lives, and to 
fight for their return home by supporting this bill.
  Please support H.R. 4744, and together we will stand for basic human 
rights.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), who chairs the Foreign 
Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  April 24, 2018, on page H3469, the following appeared: Mr. ROYCE 
of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen),
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: Mr. ROYCE of 
California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen),


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Royce for his 
kindness and his leadership, and Ranking Member Eliot Engel, my 
favorite mensch, for bringing this bill to the floor today. I also want 
to thank and congratulate  Michael McCaul and my south Florida 
colleague and dear friend Ted Deutch for their work in offering this 
important bill.
  The regime in Iran, as we have heard from my colleagues, is 
responsible for some of the most despicable human rights abuses 
imaginable. The regime is also notorious for its hostage-taking 
tactics, hoping to get financial or political concessions from the 
United States and other Western countries for their hostage taking.
  Mr. Deutch and I have been highlighting these abuses in our 
subcommittee through multiple hearings and many pieces of legislation, 
including a resolution that the House passed last year, H. Res. 317, 
that urged the President to make the release of Americans held hostage 
in Iran the highest of priorities.
  We also held a hearing on some of the hostages named in the 
resolution where we heard from family members of Mr. Deutch's 
constituent Bob Levinson, who is America's longest held hostage ever; 
Baquer and Siamak Namazi, father and son, who have been unjustly 
detained in Iran for far too long; Nizar Zakka. All of these families 
have had to endure so much, Mr. Speaker.
  Almost 1 year later after our resolution, all of these men as well as 
at least four other Americans, additional Americans, continue to be 
unjustly detained in Iran, suffering under horrific conditions with 
little to no contact with their families.

  Iran must be held accountable, Mr. Speaker. We need to be applying 
maximum pressure against the regime. This bill gives the administration 
more tools to sanction the regime for this practice of taking hostages, 
and I offer my full support.
  I thank the esteemed chairman of our committee, as well as my friend, 
the ranking member. I thank the chairman for the time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), chairman of the Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

[[Page H3470]]

  

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Iranian regime is the number one 
state sponsor of terror in the whole world, and they commit terrorist 
acts even against their own people.
  I am proud to support H.R. 4744, the Iran Human Rights and Hostage-
Taking Accountability Act, introduced by my friend, Chairman McCaul.
  The mullahs in Tehran are among the world's worst human rights 
abusers. This year, we have witnessed their brutality again on display 
as they continue to mercilessly crush dissent from their own people.
  International attention has faded, but the Iranian people are still 
in the streets demanding their rights, whether they be economic 
opportunity, access to water, religious freedom, or gender equality. In 
response, the regime has murdered dozens and locked up thousands, as it 
has done so many times before, without punishment from the outside 
world.
  This is nothing new for the Islamic Republic. Look no further than 
the 1988 massacre, where 30,000 of Iran's political prisoners were 
systematically murdered by the regime.
  This barbaric mass execution occurred by public hangings, firing 
squads, and included teenagers and pregnant women who refused to 
announce their political affiliations, including many from the MEK, 
today's leading Iranian dissident group.
  So horrific was the act that deputy to Iran's ruler at the time, 
Ayatollah Khomeini, called it: ``The greatest crime committed during 
the Islamic Republic for which history will condemn us.'' And, yes, 
history now condemns the regime for these acts of murder.
  This bill will provide for that condemnation and call for 
investigation into this crime against humanity. It also urges our 
government to work with international partners and investigate other 
major human rights abuses, such as the dozens more killed during 
protests in 1999, 2009, and 2017, and sanction those responsible.
  In all cases, the families of those murdered by the regime were never 
told what happened to their loved ones' remains. This important bill 
will pressure the Iranian Government to disclose the final resting 
place of the missing so their families may have a small bit of peace.
  Mr. Speaker, now is the day of reckoning for the Iranian regime.
  And that is just the way it is.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that the United States and Iran's 
leaders are at odds on a host of issues. Iran has killed Americans in 
Iraq. Its proxies seek to harm our citizens and our interests around 
the world. But let me be clear: the United States has no quarrel with 
the Iranian people.

                              {time}  1645

  This legislation seeks to protect the human rights of the Iranian 
people and Americans who are unfairly detained in Iran. This bill 
signals our solidarity with the protestors and demonstrators to Iran's 
rulers that any action that violates the human rights of an American 
will be met with severe consequences.
  The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) just mentioned the 1988 massacre 
that was horrendous, and there were many, many more. This brutal regime 
has blood on its hands, and it is important for the United States to 
call them out.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  In closing, I would again like to thank my colleagues, Chairman 
McCaul and Ranking Member Engel, for their bipartisan leadership to 
hold Iran accountable, to hold them accountable for their brutality: 
their brutality in the 1988 massacres, and their brutality in terms of 
the way they are treating their religious minorities today.
  We know that Americans formerly imprisoned by Iran describe being 
subjected to electric shock and whippings. We have heard that before 
our committee. We have heard them say that they were denied medical 
care.
  Today, U.S. citizens, such as Siamak and Baqer Namazi, Xiyue Wang, 
and U.S. permanent resident Nazar Zaka, are all sitting in Iranian 
jails on bogus accusations of collaborating with a hostile government 
for espionage. And U.S. citizen Robert Levinson is still missing, and 
that is more than 10 years after he disappeared in Iran. Our hearts go 
out to these victims and our hearts go out to their families as we 
renew our call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens and 
permanent residents held in Iran.
  With this legislation, we will impose tough sanctions on the regime. 
And we do that for its corruption, for its attacks on innocent 
Americans, and for its attacks on Iranians alike.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support for H.R. 4744, 
the Iran Human Rights and Hostage--Taking Accountability Act, 
introduced by my fellow Texas delegate Congressman Michael McCall and 
fellow House Judiciary colleague Congressman Ted Deutch.
  H.R. 4744 states that Congress stands with the people of Iran, and it 
provides the Trump administration with the tools necessary to hold 
Iranian government officials responsible for human rights violations, 
corruption, and censorship.
  Moreover, this legislation holds the Iranian regime accountable for 
taking hostage American citizens and permanent residents by ensuring 
that those responsible pay an extreme but just price for the violations 
committed.
  I applaud the House Foreign Affairs Committee for their support in 
passing this critical piece of legislation.
  And I sincerely hope that this bill passes the Senate and arrives at 
the President's desk to be promptly signed into law so we can begin to 
hold the Iranian regime accountable for their gross human rights 
violations.
  The Iranian regime continues to perpetuate gross human rights abuses 
against its own people.
  The regime continues to suppress the country's voices for reform 
through censorship of the media.
  The regime continues to recklessly use the nation's resources to 
expand its regional influence through its support for terrorist groups.
  The regime continues to engage in corrupt practices.
  And the regime continues to illegally detain and imprison our 
citizens without just cause or reason.
  These practices are unacceptable.
  H.R. 4744 serves as a clear signal to the people of Iran that we 
support them in their quest for freedom, it shines a light on the 
regime's human rights violations and sanctions those who are complicit 
in such crimes.
  The same goes for Iranian officials guilty of corruption, censorship, 
and the diversion of goods intended for the Iranian people.
  Lastly, this bill sanctions individuals complicit in taking Americans 
and other nation's citizens hostage and requires the President to work 
with our international partners to develop a strategy to put an end to 
this practice.
  We have five Americans currently detained in Iran--an intolerable 
circumstance that calls for action.
  We must do all we can, and apply as much pressure on Iran as 
necessary to ensure the American detainees' safe release, and prevent 
future Americans from being held hostage by this brutal regime.
  I thank Congressman McCaul and Deutch for their leadership on this 
legislation to hold Iran's corrupt officials accountable.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill's passage, and the 
passage of all the important measure before us today.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Webster of Florida). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that 
the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4744, as amended.
  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. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________