[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23581]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   ENCOURAGING THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN TO ALLOW REUNITING OF FAMILIES

  Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 45, which was 
submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res 45) encouraging the 
     Government of Iran to allow Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, and 
     Sarah Shourd to reunite with their families in the United 
     States as soon as possible.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
concurrent resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the 
motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening 
action or debate, and that any statements relating to the concurrent 
resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 45) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 45

       Whereas, on July 31, 2009, officials of the Government of 
     Iran took 3 United States citizens, Joshua Fattal, Shane 
     Bauer, and Sarah Shourd, into custody near the Ahmed Awa 
     region of northern Iraq, after the 3 United States citizens 
     reportedly crossed into the territory of Iran while hiking in 
     Iraq;
       Whereas officials of the Government of Iran have confirmed 
     that they are holding the 3 United States citizens; and
       Whereas officials of the Government of Iran have allowed 
     consular access by the Embassy of the Government of 
     Switzerland (in its formal capacity as the representative of 
     the interests of the United States in Iran) to the 3 young 
     United States citizens in accordance with the Vienna 
     Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 
     1963: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) encourages the Government of Iran to allow Joshua 
     Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd to communicate by 
     telephone with their families in the United States; and
       (2) encourages the Government of Iran to allow Joshua 
     Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd to reunite with their 
     families in the United States as soon as possible.

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