[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 15925]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CALLING FOR THE PRESIDENT TO RESCIND THE JULY 4 CELEBRATION INVITATION 
                          TO IRANIAN DIPLOMATS

  (Mr. BURTON of Indiana asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, the 4th of July is a holiday 
that we hold very near and dear because it deals with our independence 
and our desire for freedom and liberty, and we celebrate that with a 
great deal of awe.
  What bothers me right now is that this administration, in my opinion, 
is violating the sanctity of that day by inviting Iranian diplomats to 
our embassies around the world to help us celebrate the 4th of July. 
Let's just look at what Iran's doing.
  Iran is still pursuing nuclear weapons; Ahmadinejad is still calling 
for the destruction of Israel; Iran is still pursuing long-range 
missiles; Iran is working to destabilize Iraq and killing American 
soldiers; Iran is still a state sponsor of terror; Iran continues to 
supply Hezbollah and Hamas, terrorist organizations. Now the Iranian 
regime has turned on its own citizens and killed many of them in the 
streets.
  It is unthinkable, at a time when we are celebrating freedom and 
independence in this country, the 4th of July, that we're going to 
invite into our embassies people who support this kind of terrorism. It 
makes no sense. And if I were talking to the President, I would say, 
Mr. President, rescind that invitation. Rescind that invitation.

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