[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H307-H311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE BRAVERY, COURAGE, AND RESOLVE OF THE WOMEN AND MEN OF
IRAN DEMONSTRATING IN MORE THAN 133 CITIES AND RISKING THEIR SAFETY TO
SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE IRANIAN REGIME'S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 7) commending the bravery, courage,
and resolve of the women and men of Iran demonstrating in more than 133
cities and risking their safety to speak out against the Iranian
regime's human rights abuses, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution, as amended, is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 7
Whereas, on September 16, 2022, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini
passed away in the custody of Iranian ``morality police''
following a 3-day coma due to wounds, including bone
fracture, hemorrhage, and cerebral edema consistent with
severe beating, inflicted by the police for purportedly
wearing a hijab improperly;
Whereas, on September 16, Iranians gathered in the streets
of Tehran to protest the killing of Mahsa Amini;
Whereas demonstrations have since spread to more than 133
cities and 130 universities in Iran, where women are removing
or burning hijabs, cutting their hair, and dancing in front
of Iranian security forces, joined by their fellow Iranian
citizens;
Whereas Iranian security forces have responded to such
demonstrations with violence and detentions, including
detentions of journalists and activists for covering the
protests;
Whereas the security forces have reportedly killed more
than 450 protestors, including at least 58 children; however,
the number of injuries and deaths is likely higher but
unobtainable due to internet blackouts;
Whereas at least 18,000 Iranians have been arrested across
Iran according to official sources, and many thousands more
have been detained according to independent reports;
Whereas videos, images, and demonstrations have spread to
social media platforms and are an important way for the
voices of the Iranian people to be heard;
Whereas internet monitoring groups have reported that the
Iranian regime has--
(1) caused near-total disruption of internet connectivity
in parts of Iran and partial disruptions in city centers; and
(2) blocked WhatsApp, Twitter, Telegram, Facebook,
Instagram, and video games with chat functions;
Whereas common protest chants include--
(1) ``Women, life, and freedom!'';
(2) ``Iranians die but will not be suppressed!''; and
(3) ``Death to the dictator Ayatollah Ali Khamenei!'';
Whereas the Iranian regime has a long history of structural
and legal discrimination against women, including barriers
for women seeking justice against domestic violence and
criminal prohibitions against women singing or showing hair
in public and studying certain technical subjects;
Whereas the Iranian regime approved of ``depriving one
social right or more'' for any woman who posts an unveiled
picture of herself on social media, and, in August 2022,
approved of enforcing mandatory hijab laws through facial
recognition;
Whereas, through misogynistic criminal statutes, the
Iranian regime for decades has detained and engaged in the
ongoing persecution of women, including--
(1) Saba Kord Afshari, who was sentenced to 15 years in
prison for posting videos to social media without a hijab and
transferred into Ward 6 of the notorious Qarchak Women's
Prison, identified by the Secretary of the Treasury for gross
violations of human rights;
(2) Yasaman Aryani, her mother Monireh Arabshahi, and
Mojgan Keshavarz, who were sentenced to serve five and a half
years in prison for posting a video for International Women's
Day in 2019, during which they walked without headscarves
through a metro train in Tehran, handing flowers to female
passengers;
(3) human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh, who was
sentenced in 2019 to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for
providing legal defense services to women charged with not
wearing a hijab;
(4) Narges Mohammadi, a prominent rights advocate, who--
(A) was arrested in November 2021 on the second
anniversary of countrywide protests and is currently serving
a 2-year sentence in prison;
(B) was handed a further sentence of 15 months
imprisonment for ``propaganda against the state''; and
(C) previously, had been sentenced to 10 years in prison
in May 2015 for ``establishing an illegal group'', ``assembly
and collusion to act against national security'', and
``propaganda against the state'';
(5) former Vice President for Women and Family Affairs
Shahindokht Molaverdi, who was charged with encouraging
``corruption, prostitution, and sexual deviance'', a common
charge against women refusing mandatory hijab laws, and
sentenced in December 2020 to 30 months in prison for
defending the right of women to attend sporting events and
criticizing the practice of child marriage;
(6) six women who were sentenced by the Culture and Media
Court of Tehran in July 2022 to each serve 1 year in prison
for the offense of singing songs in public;
(7) Niloofar Hamedi, one of the first Iranian journalists
to report on Mahsa Amini's death, who was arrested on
September 22, 2022, and is being held in solitary
confinement; and
(8) countless other women; and
Whereas peaceful protests in Iran over the last year have
focused on grievances that include--
(1) mismanagement of the economy and national resources;
(2) prioritization of funding for terror groups and pariah
regimes over social services for the people of Iran; and
(3) widespread political corruption: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) condemns--
(A) the brutal beating and death of Mahsa Amini; and
(B) the violent suppression by the Iranian regime of women
and men participating in the current demonstrations,
including children, and calls for transparent accountability
for all killings of protesters by Iranian security forces;
(2) supports the women and men of Iran who are--
(A) participating in the current protests to defend their
fundamental human rights; and
(B) risking their safety to speak out against the human
rights abuses committed by the Iranian regime;
(3) supports internet freedom programs that circumvent the
regime and provide support for VPNs and other alternatives
that can be used to bypass attempts by authoritarian
governments to censor internet access during times of
protest, and commends private entities willing to provide
programs to circumvent such censorship;
(4) encourages continued efforts by the Biden
Administration to respond to the protests, including the
recent sanctioning of the Iranian morality police, and
further encourages the Biden Administration--
(A) to immediately impose, under existing authorities,
additional human rights sanctions on officials and entities
responsible for the repression of the current protests;
(B) to prioritize efforts to expand unrestricted internet
access in Iran, consistent with existing law; and
(C) to work to develop a strategy to prevent the Iranian
regime from obtaining and exploiting facial recognition data
and software for the use of mass surveillance and enforcement
of mandatory hijab;
(5) encourages the private sector, following the recent
clarification by the Biden Administration of sanctions
exemptions on communications technology, to work with the
Biden Administration to ensure protestors and activists have
access to tools needed to circumvent government surveillance
and repression; and
(6) welcomes the efforts of the international community to
support protestors in Iran, and calls on the international
community--
(A) to publicly condemn violence by the Iranian regime
against peaceful protesters;
(B) to speak out against violations by the regime of
fundamental human rights, including the freedom of
expression, assembly, and redress of grievances of the
Iranian people; and
(C) to impose human rights sanctions on officials and
entities that are responsible for the repression of current
protests and involved in violating the human rights of the
Iranian people.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
New York (Ms. Tenney) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).
General Leave
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
to include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today, we consider an urgent bipartisan concurrent
resolution condemning the Iranian regime for its gross human rights
abuses against protesters in Iran, who are bravely speaking out and
standing up to this terrorist regime after being brutally silenced for
two generations.
I thank my Democratic co-lead, Mr. Gottheimer, and House Foreign
Affairs Committee Chair McCaul for their support of this resolution.
While I was disappointed we were not able to get this resolution to
the floor last Congress when I partnered with former Congressman
Malinowski, I am grateful that this resolution is now
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being brought up for a vote so quickly in our new Congress and with
such broad bipartisan support.
Whether it be China, Iran, or Russia, this new House Republican
majority is ready and willing to stand up to our adversaries and
protect America's vitally important national security interests.
Since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of
Iran's religious police in September of last year, the Iranian people
have boldly taken to the streets to demand justice. Now, almost 4\1/2\
months later, Iranian men, women, and children continue to protest the
regime and its cruelty, despite the immense risk to themselves and
their families. They are literally risking their lives for a just cause
greater than themselves.
These demonstrations are the most significant popular protests
against the brutal regime's authoritarian rule since it came to power
in 1979. The response from the regime has been vicious, violent, and
vindictive, not surprisingly.
Hundreds of protesters have been murdered by regime security forces.
Thousands more have been detained on trumped-up charges. Many of those
in custody, especially women, have been subject to cruel and inhumane
torture.
The regime has unjustly executed Iranian protesters in sham trials
that lack any modicum of due process. Many dozens more face the
imminent possibility of execution.
The brave Iranian people are not backing down. In fact, they are more
resolved than ever. They are demanding a government that respects their
rights at home, stops funding terrorism abroad, and makes peace with
its neighbors. They are demanding a future built on freedom, justice,
the rule of law, and a chance at prosperity.
It is vital that we, the U.S. Representatives, a body that is among
the greatest symbols of freedom and democracy around the world, stand
with one voice to affirm our support for the brave Iranian people.
The resolution we are considering today does just this. It reaffirms
our resounding support for the brave Iranians who continue to put their
lives on the line to secure their fundamental rights and freedoms.
The resolution is a call to action. It urges the Biden administration
to do more. Instead of negotiating with this brutal regime at a moment
of weakness and true vulnerability, the Biden administration must meet
the moment and do everything in its power to stand with the Iranian
people. It must sanction those responsible for these brutal killings.
It must do everything it can to counter the Iranian regime's cowardly
attempts to restrict internet access that prevents its citizens from
sharing images and videos and communicating with the outside world.
We have the power to give the Iranian people the voice they need to
tell the truth about their oppression at the hands of the Ayatollah,
and we must exercise it.
Finally, the Biden administration must lead the effort to press our
allies and partners around the world to designate the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. The Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps uses terror to silence Iranian citizens at
home and targets innocent citizens abroad.
The United States rightly designated the group a Foreign Terrorist
Organization in 2019. Now, the rest of the world must join in this
noble cause. The IRGC's reign of terror must come to an end.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution says loudly, clearly, and with a strong
bipartisan voice that the American people are on the side of the
courageous Iranian people. The U.S. House of Representatives condemns,
in the strongest possible terms, the regime's horrific violence.
Finally, as we recognize the bravery of the protesters in Iran, I
also want to take a moment to remember that we have American citizens
being held hostage in Iran today. These innocent American citizens have
endured years of false allegations, wretched conditions, and separation
from their loved ones simply because they are Americans. They must all
be released. No American can be left behind.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the 60 Members who have cosponsored this
resolution, and I urge the entire House to support its passage.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Let me
first thank Representative Tenney and former Representative Malinowski
for their hard work on this bill. We wanted so much to get it done in
the last Congress, but it is important that it is one of the first
things that we get done in the 118th Congress.
Mr. Speaker, last year, the world held their breath as Iranian women
took to the streets protesting the devastating murder of 22-year-old
Mahsa Amini, who was detained for allegedly violating the Islamic
Republic's strict dress code. The world thought maybe, just maybe, the
regime would be ushered by their own people into the dustbin of
history.
The protests quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran's
theocracy and posed one of the most serious challenges to the ruling
clerics since the 1979 revolution that brought them to power.
Although today the protests have slowed some, and the regime remains
firmly in place, something has changed. The Iranian people have a new
understanding of their power. Despite bullets, despite arrests and the
threat of execution, they have persisted. Cracks have been formed
within the Iranian leadership elite.
The regime is not willing to meet the people's demands, and the
people are not willing to accept the status quo forever. This is going
to be a long, drawn-out domestic conflict.
The Supreme Leader is a corrupt old man who has stolen from and
killed his own people for decades. The Iranian people know it. The
Iranian President has not delivered on any of his promises and has left
the Iranian economy in tatters through mismanagement, corruption, and
international pressure. And guess what? The Iranian people know it.
It will not be instant, and it will not be easy, but change will
come. Brighter days await the Iranian people.
{time} 1400
The Iranian people, and also this regime know, it is only a matter of
time. This resolution commends the bravery, the courage, and the
resolve of the women and men of Iran who have participated in the
protests to defend their human rights, their dignity, at the risk of
their own safety to speak out against the horrific abuses committed by
the Iranian regime.
It asks the Biden administration to continue its important work to
support the people of Iran, as well as encourages the private sector to
do even more to help Iranians to communicate with one another in a safe
manner.
Also, this resolution before us today sends a clear message to the
Iranian people that we in the United States Congress and the millions
of Americans that we represent stand with them in their time of
struggle for freedom. We want the Iranian people to know that we see
you. We know the risk you are taking and the danger that you face. Stay
strong. Stay strong, as freedom will always win over tyranny.
Mr. Speaker, we want the Iranian people to hear our voices. We want
the world to hear our voices that the United States of America, in a
bipartisan way--I know it is bicameral--and people all across this
country stand with those brave people.
It reminds me of struggles of others when they had to fight for their
freedom in the streets. Freedom will come in the morning because the
voices of the people cannot be deterred.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Meeks for his support, which I
greatly appreciate.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Miller).
Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and
colleague, Ms. Tenney, for yielding and for her leadership on this
issue.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 7. Today, the
United States House of Representatives stands up for human rights, for
the same freedoms that we as Americans hold so near and dear in our own
country and against the brutal regime in Iran.
The Iranian Government has a long track record of vile human rights
[[Page H309]]
abuses. Notably, they are the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the
world, not just against the United States, but also against countries
such as our own democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel.
In September, the senseless murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the
hands of the so-called morality police for wearing her hijab improperly
once again put the regime's human rights record front and center for
the world to see.
Now, as the Iranian people protest in the streets of more than 133
cities across the country, demanding basic human rights, the regime's
response is to crack down even harder. Since the protests broke out in
September, more than 450 have been killed, including 58 children. At
least another 18,000 were arrested.
This is reprehensible, unacceptable, and inexcusable. No government
should ever treat its people this way.
The United States must continue to support the Iranian people in
their struggle for freedom. The Biden administration should take a
strong stand and end its quest for a new Iran nuclear deal. Great
American companies, like Starlink, should help bring much-needed
internet access to those protesting in the streets, which will
significantly increase their communication and information sharing.
That is why I am proud to stand here on the floor of the House of
Representatives today and support H. Con. Res. 7.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode
Island (Mr. Cicilline).
Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the
brave women and men in Iran who are risking their lives to speak out
against the Iranian regime's human rights abuses.
Today marks 131 days of ongoing protests in Iran. It has been 131
days since Mahsa Amini was laid to rest after being harassed, arrested,
and ultimately killed by Iran's so-called morality police for simply
wearing her hijab incorrectly.
Since her murder, the people of Iran--women and men alike--have taken
to the streets in more than 133 cities across the country to demand
their basic rights and freedoms be respected.
For nearly 19 weeks, protesters have gone out into the streets making
their voices heard and demanding to be treated with dignity. But
instead of listening, the Iranian regime is brutally cracking down on
its own citizens, gunning down protesters, arresting people en masse,
and resorting to torture and sexual violence.
Since the protests began, human rights activists in Iran have
reported that nearly 20,000 people have been detained and more than 500
people have been killed, including children.
What is more, the Iranian regime has also executed four protesters,
with many more being sentenced for crimes that carry the death penalty.
These brutal human rights abuses must stop immediately.
The international community must stand with the Iranian people and
against this violent suppression.
The Iranian regime must stop supporting Russia's brutal invasion of
Ukraine, stop spreading terror across the region, and start listening
to its own people.
Today, the House is coming together to condemn unequivocally the
Iranian regime's brutality and to express support for the Iranian
people. Their bravery in the face of suffocating repression and
increased impunity is inspiring the world and deserves our respect and
strong support. They must know America stands with them.
Mr. Speaker, I will end by applauding the Biden administration for
working with our allies and our partners to hold the regime accountable
for the human rights abuses by imposing sanctions on Iranian officials
deemed responsible for the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to continuing our bipartisan work to
advance the cause of human rights in Iran.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, while I am pleased at the bipartisan support of this
resolution, I think it is important to reinforce that there can be no
legitimacy or lifeline for this inhumane regime; that means no
sanctions relief or nuclear negotiations.
Just a few months ago, the Biden administration was actively
negotiating sanctions relief as part of a new nuclear deal with a
regime that is detaining, torturing, and killing its own citizens.
Let me be clear, Iran did not comply with the last nuclear deal. Why
would they comply with a new deal?
The only thing a new nuclear deal could accomplish is giving the
autocratic regime more resources to attack its own people.
Mr. Speaker, I implore the Biden administration to not resume these
foolhardy efforts. We do not negotiate with terrorists, and the
Ayatollah and his regime are terrorists. They use fear, violence, and
intimidation to achieve political goals.
We must return to a position of firm pressure and strong resolve
while enhancing our deterrence in the region. Until this regime changes
its behavior, it must remain under pressure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
North Carolina (Ms. Manning).
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of H.
Con. Res. 7, a bipartisan resolution supporting the brave women and men
peacefully protesting for their rights and freedom in Iran.
Fundamental human rights are under attack in Iran. It has been nearly
4 months since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of
Iran's so-called morality police for allegedly wearing her headscarf
incorrectly.
Since then, thousands of Iranians have peacefully protested the
regime, calling for their basic rights and freedoms to be respected.
Young women and girls have been horribly beaten for protesting a
repressive, authoritarian government that controls how they dress and
act in public.
In response to these demonstrations, Iran's security forces have
reportedly used live ammunition and tear gas against the protesters,
and horrifically, have killed more than 500 people, including at least
70 children.
It is clear Iran has no problem sentencing their own people to death
simply for joining demonstrations. They are willing to do almost
anything to maintain their grip and control.
The United States must stand unified against the oppressive Iranian
regime and stand up for the Iranian people, whose basic human rights
are being violated. The Iranian people deserve justice and
accountability.
That is why I recently led a bipartisan letter, with my friend and
colleague, Joe Wilson, calling for the United Nations to take urgent
action to hold Iran accountable for its human rights abuses. Following
our bipartisan effort, I was glad that the U.S. and 43 other countries
supported our call for a U.N. special session on Iran.
At that special session, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to
establish an independent investigative mechanism into Iran's brutal use
of force and grave human rights abuses.
Today, the bipartisan resolution we are all voting on will also help
shine a light on Iran's human rights abuses. It makes clear that the
United States stands with the people of Iran, that we are watching
closely, and that all Iranians, including young women and girls, are
entitled to the same human rights and fundamental freedoms of all
people around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I am voting ``yes'' on this resolution today, and I
encourage all my colleagues to join with me.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to point out that this is a bipartisan
bill in which we are working together. Just last week, the Biden
administration hit Iran with fresh new sanctions.
Not only did he do that individually, as he has been doing throughout
the world, but he is bringing others together so that we can speak with
one voice. Of course, the European Union was a part of it. Of course,
he brought along other countries so that the world is speaking with one
voice, collectively, keeping us together.
As things go on, we are continually ratcheting it up so that the
people of Iran can get their freedom. In fact, the only thing that was
somewhat changed and was done in this bill is where it encouraged the
private sector, following
[[Page H310]]
the recent clarification by the Biden administration of sanction
exemptions or communication technology, to work with the Biden
administration to ensure protesters and activists have access to tools
needed to circumvent government surveillance and repression.
The only thing that was eased some, so that we can make sure we are
communicating and allowing the Iranian people to communicate with
others as they protest, is what is in this bill. I think, in a
bipartisan way, we agree with that.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms.
Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member and I thank
Ms. Tenney for her leadership on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the name of Iranian freedom. Freedom now for
Iran and the Iranian people.
This legislation is brave, as it speaks clearly in a clear tone
without fear for the courageous persons who have gone to the streets,
not regarding their life or the lives of their families. I call them
brave, courageous, resolved freedom fighters, fighting for their very
life.
This legislation is absolutely necessary, and it is, of course,
bipartisan. I thank Mr. Meeks for indicating the strength of the Biden
administration and the sanctions that have been offered, and the manner
in which the Biden administration, Democrats, and Republicans have said
to Iran: No nonsense. No nonsense, and certainly no nuclear capacity.
{time} 1415
Anything that we have to do to ensure that that does not happen
should not be tabled. But what should be tabled is the unbelievable
brutal fighting and killing that has occurred against freedom-loving
people.
I have been a longtime fighter with the people of Iran who are here
in the United States. Iranian Americans have taken to the streets to be
able to say: No more.
We will stand with our brothers and sisters in Iran.
I have seen the various attacks that have resulted in mass killings.
I have seen the fight in Camp Ashraf in Iraq where there has been a
large loss of life of people who have been fighting for freedom. I went
to the camp to see the devastation.
I have supported plans for democracy in Iran. I understand that they
need us to stand by them.
What a horrible and brutal scene that we have seen: children falling
dead, mothers, brothers, fathers, and uncles.
What about Mahsa Amini?
She was just 22 years old, wanting her life to be before her, seeking
democracy and freedom. She was a young, bright woman with courage that
was taken away viciously in an ugly attempt to show how domineering
this regime is. In the course of taking her away, her life was snuffed
out.
We don't know her last hours, last days, last minutes, or last
seconds. We don't know how brutal it might have been, how she might
have cried out for someone to be able to be empathetic and sympathetic,
someone to understand that her life deserved an opportunity to live,
and yet this brutal regime continues to be without concern for anything
that it does.
I want to say to all of the Iranian women, men, and children
protesters who are leading the fight, I say loudly and clearly that we
are standing with you.
I support this legislation entirely, and I want to continue the U.S.-
Iran friendship with those people who are fighting for freedom.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Miller of Ohio). The time of the
gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an
additional 30 seconds.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me conclude my remarks by saying I
support Iranian women struggling against dictatorship.
Let me continue to say that I want this relationship between the U.S.
and Iran to continue with the Iranian people who are fighting for
democracy. I believe it is important that this legislation pass to show
that America is a champion for global democracy.
I would like to also indicate that I look forward to organizing the
Iranian women's struggle against dictators congressional caucus, and I
hope there will be many who will join us. Let us keep our voices alive.
I rise again to support H. Con. Res. 7. I thank the gentleman from
New York for his leadership, and I thank the sponsors of this
legislation for their leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 7, a resolution that
commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran
protesting and speaking out against the Iranian Regime's human rights
abuses.
As a long-time advocate and fighter for justice and equality, I am
inspired by the millions of Iranians that are putting their lives on
the line day after day in hopes that one day they will live in a
country that values justice, freedom, and the rule of law.
The U.S. Department of State cites Iran for a wide range of human
rights violations; among them injustices such as arbitrary arrest,
torture, and unjust executions.
I remember the attack on Iranian refugees at Camp Ashraf by Iraqi
soldiers on April 3, 2011.
Camp Ashraf was the home to more than 3,000 members of the People's
Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), an opposition group against the
Iranian regime.
I went to Camp Ashraf in solidarity and support of the democracy and
freedom loving Iranian people and that support continues to this day.
In July 2019, I penned a letter to President Maryam Rajavi to
commemorate the occasion of the Annual Gathering for a Free Iran and to
extend my heartfelt congratulations on her election.
I expressed my support for her 10-Point Plan for the future of Iran,
which ensures freedom of parties and assembly, an abolition of the
death penalty, a separation of church and state, gender equality and
several other promising policy positions that will thrust Iran into the
future.
Under President Maryam Rajavi's leadership, women have risen to hold
pivotal positions in the Iranian Resistance.
Iranian women will be the engine for change in Iran.
The uprising in Iran started with the murder of Mahsa Amini, a 22-
year-old woman arrested by morality police in Tehran on September 13,
2022, for allegedly violating Iran's strict rules requiring women to
cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf.
Since the day of Mahsa Amini's funeral, women, men, and children have
taken to the streets, risking their lives for a free and democratic
Iran.
It is estimated that since the start of the protests in September,
over 500 protesters have been killed, and thousands more arrested.
To all the Iranian women, men, children, and protestors who are
leading the fight, I say loud and clear that I stand with you. America
stands with you.
I am proud to support the women of Iran, the youth, and the brave men
and women who are struggling to make these freedoms possible for the
people of their nation.
Let us continue to foster U.S.-Iran friendship and collaboration as
we work together to advance the universal rights of all humans,
including basic respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The mountaintop of justice for women, for men, for children and for
all Iran is on the horizon.
I will always champion global democracy, stand against human rights
violations, and never shy away from speaking truth to power in the
presence of oppression.
That is why I encourage my colleagues to work toward putting human
rights at the center of America's diplomacy by supporting H. Con. Res.
7.
Together, we will put an end to the indiscriminate violation of human
rights in Iran.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her
strong compassion for these horrific situations in Iran and for the
women of Iran.
Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Torres).
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the
resolution.
Iran is the leading aggressor in the Middle East, the leading state
sponsor of terrorism in the world, and a longstanding oppressor of its
own people.
The Iranian regime, which has repressed far too many for far too
long, has been shaken to the core by a revolution led by powerful
women. The women in Iran who are risking their lives in confronting a
monstrous and murderous regime are among the most courageous freedom
fighters in the world.
The United States must stand unequivocally with our Iranian sisters
in their fearless fight for freedom.
[[Page H311]]
On September 13, 2021, Mahsa Amini was brutally beaten to death by
Iran's Orwellian morality police merely for not wearing a head
covering. Out of the tragedy of Mahsa's murder came a spontaneous
groundswell of thousands of Iranian women rising up for their freedom,
some removing their head coverings and cutting their hair as a poignant
form of protest.
The revolution reminds us that the future of Iran does not belong to
a regime whose malevolence and obsolescence have become too glaring to
ignore.
Iran's future belongs to its people led by its fearless formidable
female freedom fighters. The vision of a free and democratic Iran is an
unrealized dream whose time has come and whose realization is long
overdue.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York also for
his compassionate remarks in support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for
the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 7 commends the brave people--the brave
Iranian freedom fighters--for their fight against the brutal Iranian
regime and demonstrates that the United States' commitment is with
them, standing with the men and women of Iran.
In the face of so many human rights abuses, the Iranian people have
remained strong.
I say to our Iranian friends: Though change won't happen overnight,
continue to stand strong because the time of this regime will soon be
up.
The international community recognizes--and that is us pulling
together, all of the people of the United States and the international
community around the world--the bravery and the strength of the Iranian
people in the fight for their human rights, for their freedom from
tyranny, and for a better tomorrow.
We have got to keep our voices.
Dr. King once said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.
We have got to stand together, and that is what this resolution does.
It puts the regime on notice that its people are on the march because
freedom cannot be denied.
So, Mr. Speaker, I am sure that there will be a resounding voice by
this United States Congress by passing this bill to say to the Iranian
people who put everything on the line that we hear you, we see you, and
we stand with you until you get your freedom.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Speaker McCarthy, Majority Leader Scalise, Whip
Emmer, and the new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr.
McCaul, for prioritizing this important resolution and bringing it to
the floor.
The fact is that this resolution was brought to the floor so quickly
this week because the House majority demonstrates the importance of
this issue.
I want to thank Mr. Meeks for his continued support and help in
ushering through unanimous support for this resolution in the last
Congress. We are finally here getting it through, and I am grateful to
the gentleman for his leadership and also for being so supportive.
Again, I thank Mr. Gottheimer, especially, and Mr. McCaul for
cosponsoring this resolution with me and all the speakers and everyone
who have spoken in support of this resolution. It is important that we
stand as a united voice against the Iranian regime and in support of
the people of Iran.
I say to the people of Iran: We commend your bravery, we mourn your
losses, and the American people are with you as you stand up for
freedom.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 7, 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.
Ms. TENNEY. 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 the question will be postponed.
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