[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H590-H594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE OF IRAN TO FREE EXPRESSION
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 752) supporting the rights of the people of
Iran to free expression, condemning the Iranian regime for its
crackdown on legitimate protests, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 752
Whereas, on November 15, 2019, popular protests against the
Iranian regime began and rapidly spread to at least 100
cities throughout the country, in the most significant
antigovernment protests in Iran since June 2009;
Whereas the protests began in response to an announced
increase on the price of fuel and protesters have expressed
numerous economic grievances, while also calling for the
structural reform of the political system and condemning
current and former Iranian leaders;
Whereas reports indicate that Iranian security forces have
used lethal force in arresting more than 7,000 people and
killed hundreds of people in connection with the protests;
Whereas reports indicate that Iranian Government
authorities have, in many instances, refused to return
victims' bodies to their families and that security forces
have removed bodies from morgues and transferred them to
unknown locations;
Whereas, on November 16, 2019, Iranian authorities began
implementing a near-total shutdown of internet services,
stopping nearly all means of online communications for people
inside Iran, to preclude the sharing of images and videos of
deadly violence being used by security forces;
Whereas section 103(b)(2)(B) of the Comprehensive Iran
Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22
U.S.C. 8512(b)(2)(B)) authorizes licensing services relating
to personal communications over the Internet, to improve the
ability of the Iranian people to speak freely;
Whereas General License D-1 authorizes the provision of key
communication tools to the Iranian people with the aim of
ensuring that the Iranian people can freely access the
internet;
Whereas, on November 16, 2019, Iran's Interior Minister
Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said that the Iranian regime will no
longer show ``tolerance'' and ``self-control'' toward the
protesters;
Whereas, on November 17, 2019, Iranian Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the demonstrators ``villains''
galvanized by foreign enemies and domestic insurgents and
ordered Iranian security services to ``implement their
duties'' to end the protests;
Whereas, on November 18, 2019, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps deployed to the city of Mahshahr and engaged in
mass repression, reportedly killing as many as 100 people;
Whereas several laws provide authorities to designate and
sanction elements of the Iranian regime involved in
significant corruption or serious human rights abuses,
including the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability,
and Divestment Act of 2010, the Countering America's
Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, and the Iran Threat
Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012;
[[Page H591]]
Whereas the Iranian regime was implicated in a March 2018
plot in Albania and June 2018 plot in France against Iranian
opposition activists;
Whereas Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its
Basij militia have been sanctioned by the United States for
planning and carrying out serious human rights abuses against
the Iranian people, including for the cruel and prolonged
torture of political dissidents;
Whereas in August 2018 the United States criminally charged
two persons for acting as illegal agents of the Government of
Iran for having conducted surveillance on Jewish and Israeli
facilities and Iranian political dissidents;
Whereas the regime has routinely violated the human rights
of Iranian citizens, including by implementing ongoing,
systematic, and serious restrictions of freedom of peaceful
assembly and association and freedom of opinion and
expression, including the continuing closures of media
outlets, arrests of journalists, and the censorship of
expression in online forums such as blogs and websites;
Whereas the Department of State's 2018 Human Rights Report
on Iran noted ``severe restrictions on free expression, the
press, and the internet, including censorship, site blocking,
and criminalization of libel; substantial interference with
the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of association,
such as overly restrictive nongovernmental organization (NGO)
laws; egregious restrictions of religious freedom;
restrictions on political participation; widespread
corruption at all levels of government'';
Whereas, on November 18, 2019, Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo stated that, ``The United States is monitoring the
ongoing protests in Iran closely. We condemn strongly any
acts of violence committed by this regime against the Iranian
people and are deeply concerned by reports of several
fatalities. . .The Islamic Republic must cease violence
against its own people and should immediately restore the
ability of all Iranians to access a free and open
Internet.'';
Whereas, on November 22, 2019, the United States imposed
sanctions on Iran's Minister of Information and
Communications Technology for his role in shutting down
internet access in Iran;
Whereas, on November 18, 2019, the Office of the German
Chancellor stated that, ``It is legitimate and deserving of
our respect when people courageously air their economic and
political grievances, as is currently happening in Iran. The
Iranian government should respond to the current protests
with a willingness to engage in dialogue. . .We urge the
government in Tehran to respect freedom of assembly and
expression.'';
Whereas, on November 20, 2019, the French Foreign Ministry
stated that, ``France is following the demonstrations taking
place in Iran with concern. It expresses its deep concern at
reports that a large number of demonstrators have been killed
in the last few days. It reaffirms its attachment to respect
for the freedom of expression and to access to means of
communication, as well as to the right to demonstrate
peacefully. France calls on Iran to comply with its
international human rights obligations, in particular the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.'';
Whereas, on November 21, 2019, the European Union stated
that, ``The protests in several Iranian cities over the past
days have, according to reports, led to serious loss of life
and left many people injured. We convey our condolences to
the families of victims and wish a speedy recovery to those
injured. Socio-economic challenges should be addressed
through inclusive dialogue and not through the use of
violence. We expect Iran's security forces to exercise
maximum restraint in handling the protests and for protestors
to demonstrate peacefully. Any violence is unacceptable. The
rights to freedom of expression and assembly must be
guaranteed. We also expect the Iranian authorities to ensure
the free flow of information and access to the internet.'';
Whereas, on November 26, 2019, Secretary of State Michael
Pompeo stated, ``The Iranian people are once again on the
streets because of the regime's poor economic management. And
instead of addressing their grievances, Tehran has responded
with violence and blaming those outside of the country.'';
Whereas, on December 8, 2019, the High Representative of
the European Union Josep Borrell Fontelles stated that, ``A
growing body of evidence indicates that despite repeated
calls for restraint, the Iranian security forces'
disproportionate response to recent demonstrations has led to
high numbers of deaths and injuries. For the European Union
and its Member States, the widespread and disproportionate
use of force against nonviolent protestors is
unacceptable.'';
Whereas, on December 8, 2019, the High Representative of
the European Union Josep Borrell Fontelles stated that ``A
growing body of evidence indicates that despite repeated
calls for restraint, the Iranian security forces'
disproportionate response to recent demonstrations has led to
high numbers of deaths and injuries. For the European Union
and its Member States, the widespread and disproportionate
use of force against nonviolent protestors is
unacceptable.'';
Whereas 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;
Whereas in violation of these and other international
obligations, Iranian regime officials continue to violate the
fundamental human rights of the Iranian people;
Whereas the Iranian regime has a long history of violent
repression of dissent, including--
(1) in 1988, the Iranian regime carrying 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;
(2) in 1999, the Iranian regime brutally suppressing a
student revolt that was one of the largest mass uprisings up
until that point in the country since 1979;
(3) following voting irregularities that resulted in the
2009 election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian
regime brutally suppressing peaceful political dissent from
wide segments of civil society during the Green Revolution in
a cynical attempt to retain its undemocratic grip on power;
and
(4) beginning in December 2017, and continuing for several
months after protests erupted in more than 80 cities, the
Iranian regime suppressing such protests with repressive
force that resulted in at least 25 deaths and 4,000 arrests;
Whereas, on January 9, 2018, the House of Representatives
overwhelmingly passed H. Res. 676, a resolution supporting
the rights of the people of Iran to free expression and
condemning the Iranian regime for its crackdown on legitimate
protests;
Whereas, on December 5, 2019, the Department of State
identified the Great Tehran Penitentiary (Fashafuyeh) and
Qarchack Prison as entities responsible for gross violations
of internationally recognized human rights in Iran and
subject to the imposition of sanctions under section 106 of
the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act
(22 U.S.C. 9405);
Whereas, on January 8, 2020, the Iranian military shot down
a civilian airliner Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 in a
surface-to-air missile strike, killing 176 civilians aboard;
Whereas for three days, the Iranian military denied that it
shot down Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752 before admitting
responsibility on January 11, 2020;
Whereas peaceful protestors amassed throughout Iran on
January 11, 2020, and subsequent days, decrying the
Government of Iran's downing of the Ukrainian airliner,
subsequent campaign of lies and obfuscation, and continued
undemocratic practices; and
Whereas in response to peaceful protests throughout early
January 2020, Iranian Government forces fired live rounds and
used brutal tactics against civilians in a manner well-
documented by international human rights organizations,
media, and scores of Iranians: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) stands with the people of Iran that are engaged in
legitimate and peaceful protests against an oppressive,
corrupt regime;
(2) condemns the Iranian regime's serious human rights
abuses against the Iranian people, significant corruption,
and destabilizing activities abroad;
(3) commends the statements of support for the protesters
from the executive branch and key allies;
(4) calls on all democratic governments and institutions to
clearly support the Iranian people's right to live in a free
society;
(5) demands that the Iranian regime abide by its
international obligations with respect to human rights and
civil liberties, including freedoms of assembly, speech, and
press;
(6) urges the Administration to work to convene emergency
sessions of the United Nations Security Council and the
United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn the ongoing
human rights violations perpetrated by the Iranian regime and
establish a mechanism by which the Security Council can
monitor such violations;
(7) encourages the Administration to provide assistance to
the Iranian people to have free and uninterrupted access to
the internet, including by broadening General License D-1;
(8) calls on companies to reject requests by the regime to
cut off the Iranian people from social media and other
communications platforms;
(9) respects the proud history and rich culture of the
Iranian nation and fully supports efforts by the people of
Iran to promote the establishment of basic freedoms that
build the foundation for the emergence of a freely elected,
open, and democratic political system;
(10) supports the right of Iranian dissidents to assemble,
without fear of persecution and violence, whether in Iran or
internationally; and
(11) urges the President and the Secretary of State to work
with the international community to ensure that violations of
human rights are part of all formal and informal multilateral
or bilateral discussions with and regarding Iran.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
[[Page H592]]
General Leave
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H. Res. 752.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, since November, Iranian protesters have flooded the
streets, demonstrating against corruption, high fuel, and high food
prices. Protests flared up in recent weeks after the government of Iran
took responsibility for downing a Ukrainian airliner after, of course,
initially denying it.
Peaceful protesters have been met with violence and brutality from
the Iranian regime. Over 1,500 people have been killed, and thousands
more injured.
For decades, this has been the horrifying standard practice of the
regime, heinous human rights abuses and significant corruption, even
targeting Iranian dissidents abroad.
We must send a clear message now to the protesters that we stand with
them. Today's resolution shows that solidarity; that we stand for the
rights of the Iranian people to free expression, and we condemn the
regime for its crimes.
Today, we urge the President and the Secretary of State to work with
the international community to ensure that violations of human rights
are part of all formal and informal, multilateral or bilateral
discussions with and regarding Iran.
Sending a strong message of support is important, but the United
States must do more to help the Iranian protesters. The administration
should help the Iranian people access free and uninterrupted internet,
including broadening General License D-1, the Treasury Department's
license of personal communication devices and software that helps
Iranians access the free flow of information.
The administration should also welcome, not deny, Iranian visitors to
the United States, because giving Iranians an opportunity to experience
our great country for themselves is the best way to counter anti-
American sentiment and fear.
There is much that we can do to help the protesters, and we must
start today with this resolution. I urge all my colleagues to join me
in passing this great measure.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Iranian people and our
condemnation of the Iranian regime's crackdown on legitimate protests.
I want to first thank Congressman Deutch for bringing this important
legislation, introducing this resolution. And I am proud to be a
cosponsor of it.
Twice in the past 3 months, the Iranian people have bravely raised
their voices to protest the conduct of the despotic Iranian regime. And
both times, these peaceful, popular demonstrations have been met with
utter violence.
In November, protestors across Iran voiced their anger at an abrupt
increase in gasoline prices. This soon broadened to voicing their anger
at the regime as a whole.
The Islamic Republic of Iran responded with brutal force. Security
thugs opened fire on unarmed protestors. The regime cut off the
internet in an attempt to silence the voice of the people and suppress
the evidence of the security forces' bloodshed.
Despite the regime's efforts, the world still knows about their
cruelty. We have all seen the videos of security forces shooting
innocent people on the streets. The regime killed as many as 1,500
people, by far the largest and most violent crackdown since the 1979
revolution.
Just a few weeks later, the Iranian people were once again furious
with their government. This time, it was because the regime shot down a
commercial airliner, killing 176 innocent people, many of whom were
Iranian. Even worse, the regime did not admit to having done so for 3
days. They intentionally lied to their own people and to the world.
Once again, security forces fired on peaceful protestors.
The broad frustration with this cruel, lying regime is evident. An
Iranian Olympic medalist announced she was defecting because of
``hypocrisy, lies, injustice, and flattery.''
Iran's State TV anchor resigned, saying, ``It was very hard for me to
believe the killing of my own countrymen. I apologize for lying to you
on television for the last 13 years.''
With this resolution, we declare that the House of Representatives
stands with the people of Iran demanding accountability from their
leaders.
I thank the President for loudly and clearly supporting the rights of
the Iranian people. The President has urged the regime not to use
violence against their own people. He has also worked to hold the
Iranian regime accountable for its cruelty.
The administration has actively sought information about the
perpetrators of violence through its tip line. Using those tips, the
administration has sanctioned those with blood on their hands, such as
the IRGC commander who oversaw a massacre in November, killing as many
as 148 people. I want to thank the administration for taking concrete
action to support the people of Iran.
This resolution is our opportunity in the Congress to show the same
support. It is an important step, but we can and must do more. Our next
course of action should be to pass my bill that holds the Iranian
officials accountable for serious human rights abuses.
So let's stand together as Americans and keep the process and
pressure up on this dangerous regime.
And let me just say, I have talked to many Iranians throughout this
country, and the people of Iran are watching this Chamber. They are
watching what we say here. Our voices do matter in Iran and to the
Iranian people who are in the United States.
So I want to again thank Congressman Deutch for bringing this
important resolution that stands up for the people of Iran.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Deutch), the author of this important resolution, and the
chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and
International Terrorism.
Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Minnesota for
yielding.
I appreciate the kind words of the ranking member of the Foreign
Affairs Committee, and I appreciate his leadership.
Special thanks, as well, to the ranking member of the Middle East,
North Africa, and International Terrorism Subcommittee, Mr. Wilson, for
his leadership on these issues and his commitment to standing up for
the Iranian people.
In mid-November, popular protests against the Iranian regime began
and rapidly spread to at least 100 cities throughout the country, in
the most significant anti-government protests in Iran since 2009.
While protesters took to the streets in response to an increase in
fuel prices, they also called for structural reform of the Iranian
political system. They condemned current and former leaders.
In response, Iranian authorities shut down the internet. Security
forces used lethal force, killing hundreds of people, marking the
highest casualty rate of any protest movement in Iran since the Islamic
revolution 4 decades ago. And they arrested over 7,000 more.
Protesters returned earlier this month after Iran shot down Ukrainian
Airlines Flight 752 as it took off from Tehran's International Airport,
killing all 176 people on board, and then tried to cover it up.
The Iranians in the streets were frustrated by the regime's lies,
frustrated by their incompetence, and chanted against the IRGC and
against the Supreme Leader. As in November, Iranian authorities met
these protests with unlawful, disproportionate force.
Congress has long expressed bipartisan support for the human rights
of the Iranian people, including the rights to peaceably assemble and
the right to protest.
[[Page H593]]
Congress has also supported the rights of Iranian dissidents and
authorized the licensing of communication services to improve the
ability of Iranian people to speak freely.
In keeping with that tradition, H. Res. 752 expresses the support of
the House of Representatives for the rights of the Iranian people to
free expression and condemns the regime for its crackdown on the
recent, legitimate, peaceful protests in Iran.
The resolution condemns the Iranian regime's serious human rights
abuses, its significant corruption, destabilizing activities abroad,
and urges the President and the Secretary of State to work with the
international community to ensure that violations of human rights are
part of all formal and informal multilateral or bilateral discussions
regarding Iran.
I also encourage additional efforts by this House to support the
people of Iran. These include initiatives proposed by my colleagues,
like the one by Representative Tom Malinowski, to end the ban on
Iranians and other citizens of predominantly-Muslim countries from
entering the United States. If we truly support the Iranian people, we
need to allow them to visit so they can experience our vibrant society,
so they can experience democracy, so that they can see pluralism and
our great democratic traditions. I look forward to working with my
colleagues to help advance these measures as well.
I thank my colleagues for their strong support of this resolution
which demonstrates that Congress stands with the Iranian people and
supports their right to live in a free society.
{time} 1415
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), the ranking member on the Subcommittee for
the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the Republican
leader, Mike McCaul, for yielding.
I am pleased to speak in favor of H. Res. 752, which supports the
rights of the Iranian people to protest without violent consequences
from the Islamic Republic regime, which I coauthored with my
appreciative colleague, Chairman Ted Deutch from Florida.
Last November, thousands of people all over 100 cities of Iran
demonstrated against the regime's oppressive economic and tyrannical
other policies. The Islamic Republic responded viciously to these
peaceful protests. The regime killed over 1,000 people and arrested
thousands more. We mourn the deaths of these courageous individuals who
died while advocating for their rights.
The Iranian people again voiced their anger in January when the
Islamic Republic lied about shooting down a Ukrainian civilian
passenger Boeing jet, killing 176 people.
How did the regime respond to the protests over the death of these
innocent people? By using more violence against innocent civilians.
Today, we say to the people of Iran: We respect the importance of
Persian culture to the world and your right to be heard without fear.
We support your rights to ask for a better governance. We ask for
accountability from your government, to ask for a government that puts
your interests first and does not deceive you with blatant corruption.
We will not allow you to be overlooked or forgotten, and we will stand
by you while this regime brutalizes you.
President Donald Trump has taken a firm stand in support of the
protestors, saying: ``To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I've
stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my
administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your
protests closely and are inspired by your courage.''
I agree with President Donald Trump, and I am gratified to stand
today in support of the free expression of the Iranian people.
President Trump's sanctions deter terrorism and protect American
families.
I thank my colleagues for bringing this bipartisan resolution to the
floor. I look forward to seeing it pass and continuing to work together
to support the rights of the Iranian people.
Iranian Americans are extraordinarily successful in America and very
much appreciated in every State. In my home State of South Carolina,
Iranian American doctors are vital.
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Ruiz), my friend.
Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I am proud of the growing Iranian American
community in my district, California's 36th. I have spoken with members
of the community, and I have watched the protests in Iran.
I am increasingly concerned and outraged at what we are witnessing
from the Iranian regime. The violence, the oppression, the internet
blackouts, the large-scale incarcerations--these are egregious human
rights violations.
Over 7,000 Iranians have been arrested and, tragically, over 1,000
killed by Iranian security forces since November of last year.
This shameful use of violence by the state security forces, sweeping
internet shutoffs, jailing of journalists and protestors, these are
just the most recent examples of merciless attempts of censorship by a
regime with a long, abhorrent history of oppression and violence
against its own people.
We must support the protestors seeking nothing but their fundamental
human rights and civil liberties such as the freedom to assemble
openly, speak freely, and have an open and free press. That is why I
stand with my Iranian American constituents in support of bipartisan H.
Res. 752: to support the rights of the people of Iran to free
expression and to say, forcefully, that we condemn the Iranian regime
for its violent tactics to oppress its legitimate protestors.
To the Iranian people seeking freedom, democracy, and human rights: I
stand with you. The United States Congress stands with you. The
American people stand with you. We will continue supporting you as you
fight for your basic rights, freedom, and democracy.
That is why I urge my colleagues to pass H. Res. 752 here today.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. McClintock).
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, in 2016, President Obama sent $1.7
billion of untraceable cash on shrink-wrapped cargo pallets to the
regime in Iran. The Iranian expatriates in my district reported that
immediately following this shameful spectacle, the Iranian Guard
expanded dramatically and began a brutal round of repression that cost
thousands of innocent Iranians their lives.
Thankfully, President Trump has reversed these destructive policies
of appeasement. The renewal of sanctions against Iran is again bringing
economic pressure on the regime and causing European nations to
reconsider their ties with that tyranny.
Iran is one of the oldest and greatest civilizations in history, yet
it has been suppressed and plundered by a clique of theocratic thugs
who comprise the illegitimate Iranian Government.
This resolution is an important gesture, but it is empty and idle
without action. We need to support the freedom-fighting organizations
operating within Iran with the same financial resources that Obama sent
to their oppressors. I challenge the House majority to do so.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I met with a group of Iranian Americans just this last
weekend, and I talked to them about their friends in Iran who are
fighting this oppression. I saw the video, the internet feed that
they are able to get out of country. One of the problems has been they
shut down the internet. They control the internet in Iran because it
was built with security in mind, first.
It is very difficult to get communications both inside and outside of
Iran, but we are working on those technologies today, Madam Speaker, so
that these people can communicate with the outside world. They are
being held hostage themselves by the Ayatollah, who held our Embassy
officials hostage in 1979. They are listening to our voices here in the
Congress, and they are shooting out texts and emails, and we are
finding ways to get them to communicate.
There are 80 million people in Iran, once a great empire, the Persian
empire that brought us so many great things; and now, under this
oppressive theocracy, the majority of these people
[[Page H594]]
do not support their own oppressive, brutal killing regime.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, in my judgment, their days are limited,
and it is time for the people of Iran to take back their country. And
when I say this to the people of Iran, know that the American people
stand with the people of Iran. Know that this House stands with the
people of Iran and that this Congress and President stand with the
people of Iran.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume for the purpose of closing.
Madam Speaker, Iranian people want the same thing that Americans
want: peace, opportunity, and security. It is critical that we now
support the peaceful protestors in Iran today.
Today's resolution shows that we stand in solidarity with the Iranian
people in their struggle against the cruelty of their regime, and I
hope all Members will join me in supporting this important measure.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 752, a
resolution supporting human rights and fundamental freedoms in Iran.
Today, we send a vital message to the protest movement in Iran that--as
they face persecution and violence--the House of Representatives stands
in solidarity with them.
For decades, the Iranian regime has oppressed dissidents. From the
1988 massacre to the 2009 protests to today, people who dared to speak
against the Iranian regime has been subject to torture, arrest,
disappearance and worse. Iran's prisons are some of the most notorious
in the world.
The protests have escalated since the Iranian regime lied to the
world about their responsibility for shooting down the Ukrainian
jetliner. It is unfathomable that for three days, the Iranian regime
sought to hide their culpability.
The United States must do what we can to help support those who fight
for human rights and freedom in Iran. This resolution outlines some
important steps, including expanding internet access for Iranian
dissidents by easing the restrictions on sharing software and hardware
for personal communication devices.
I would also add that if the Trump administration wants to send a
message of solidarity to the Iranian protest movement, they should
repeal the ill-conceived Muslim ban, which has prevented Iranians from
visiting and studying in America.
The American people have no quarrel with the people of Iran. America
should welcome those Iranians who want to see America for themselves.
I'd like to thank Mr. Deutch and Mr. Wilson for spearheading this
important resolution.
Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 752,
which reinforces our nation's support for the rights of the Iranian
people to have free speech, free association and fair elections. For
over 40 years the Iranian regime has engaged in terrorism and has been
a declared enemy of freedom, human rights, and freedom of religion. The
Iranian regime, a designated state sponsor of terrorism, states its
antipathy for the United States on a daily basis. The regime has
engaged in atrocities in Iran and throughout the world.
Recently President Trump authorized the removal of Iranian terrorist
Qassem Soleimani. The president had the legal authority to do so under
the Congressionally enacted AUMF pertaining to Iraq. In the United
States, expatriates from Iran applauded this as long overdue justice
for a leading proponent of terror, death and destruction. This action
should have been taken years ago by the Obama Administration. Instead
of addressing Iran's terrorist actions, the prior administration gave
aid and support to the terrorist regime. No doubt some of that aid,
including billions of dollars, was used to kill innocent people. It
took the courage of a real leader to be bold and do what needed to be
done.
Our country supports the Iranian opposition via the Organization of
Iranian American Communities. Their fight is our fight. With patience,
a new day will dawn in Iran and its people will be free again.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 752, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________