[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN HIKERS BEING DETAINED IN IRAN

  (Ms. SCHWARTZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. This week marks the 1-year anniversary of three 
American hikers being detained in Iran. Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, and 
Sarah Shourd were visiting a mountainous region in northern Iraq and 
innocently strayed across the unmarked frontier into Iran. The Iranian 
Government locked them up, accusing them of espionage--a baseless 
accusation.
  Last fall, Senator Arlen Specter and I championed a resolution 
calling on Iran to release the hikers. I have met with all three 
mothers and stayed in touch with Josh's mother, Laura, who lives in 
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This Saturday the families of the 
hikers will gather at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to hold vigil 
for Josh, Shane, and Sarah.
  I am deeply taken by the steadfast determination and spirit of the 
families as they advocate for their children's health, safety, and 
release. The hikers have been detained far too long, and Iran should 
demonstrate compassion and release them back to their families here in 
the United States.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging and sympathizing with 
these three young Americans and their families and calling on the 
Government of Iran to release them now.

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