Geriatrics Loan Forgiveness Act of 2009

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1457) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the one-year anniversary of the Government of Iran's fraudulent manipulation of Iranian elections, the Government of Iran's continued denial of human rights and democracy to the people of Iran, and the Government of Iran's continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous materials on this resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution today, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

House Resolution 1457 expresses the sense of the House of Representatives on the 1-year anniversary of the Government of Iran's manipulation of the Iranian elections, the continued denial of human rights, and their continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability. And I would like to thank my friend, Congressman Judge Poe of Texas, for joining me in the introduction of this important resolution.

Madam Speaker, just over a year ago, on June 12, 2009, the world watched as Iran's rulers manipulated and stole an election for their chosen candidate, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Thousands of Iranians took to the streets following that sham presidential election that had been orchestrated for the regime. Following that, we all know what happened. So we speak in this resolution on the anniversary of that disputed election result because I believe, and those who are supporting this resolution believe, that Congress must reaffirm its commitment to supporting democracy and freedom around the world, including in Iran.

We know that as the street protest continued against the fraudulent election and it intensified, the Government of Iran, its riot police, and members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps engaged in a brutal crackdown on the Iranian people. Sadly, many Iranians were injured, imprisoned, or killed.

Human rights in Iran, we know, have deteriorated precipitously over the years since the first election of President Ahmadinejad. But since that disputed presidential election last year,

Iran's slide into what is clearly a brutal dictatorship has sharply accelerated. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, its militia, and its police arbitrarily arrest thousands of peaceful protesters and dissidents, including students, women's rights activists, lawyers, and journalists, in a clear effort to intimidate their critics and stifle dissent. This regime obviously cannot withstand these critics.

But as champions of freedom and democracy, the United States must, must condemn these abuses of this Iranian regime whenever possible as we witness such actions around the world. It is in our Constitution, and it is one of the reasons why we still remain a beacon of light around the world as we stand up for human rights, human rights that have sadly been abused in Iran by this regime.

But it's not just in our Constitution. In the Koran it states: Help one another in a righteousness and goodness way. Help not one another when in sin and aggression.

Clearly, this despotic regime in Iran is engaged in full-time sin and aggression of its own people. But this quote, of course, is from the Koran, which is the book of the major religion of the people of Iran. Yet they violate their own faith in this way.

Madam Speaker, the people of the United States stand behind the people of Iran, who simply want to live their lives in peace and freedom, free of the brutal oppression of their government. Let us be clear: At the end of the day, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is nothing more than a bully and a dictator. His regime uses every tactic they can to subdue and terrorize their own people.

And we need to recognize this phony regime for what it is. It's a killer of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of press. And I believe that when history is written, that the record of this terrorism regime in the 21st century will compare, sadly, to those same brutal dictatorships that we witnessed in the 20th century. I am talking about Hitler, Stalin, Tojo, and Mussolini. That is the level of despotic dictatorship that we are witnessing today in Iran.

So, therefore, this resolution before us confirms Congress's support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom, human rights, and civil liberties. It condemns the ongoing violence and human rights abuses against the people of Iran by their government, and it urges immediate release of all political prisoners detained by this regime.

House Resolution 1457 also calls for freedom and democracy for the people of Iran, including fair, democratic, and independent elections, unlike the ones that were held a year ago. Finally, this resolution condemns the Government of Iran's continued pursuit of nuclear weapons capability and a ballistic missiles program, for clearly we know what they are intended for.

This is especially timely, Madam Speaker, since later this week the House is expected to vote on the conference committee report H.R. 2194. We hope by the end of this week, certainly by next week. The Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 is an important measure. I am proud to be a conferee on the conference committee. This piece of legislation represents, I think, a monumental step toward our fight against Iran's nuclear proliferation. These sanctions reinforce and go far beyond the enacted United Nations sanctions aimed at persuading Iran to change its conduct that was voted on over a week ago.

These tough new petroleum and financial sanctions will restrict the ability of Iran's regime and its thugs to continue their nuclear aspirations and their oppression of the Iranian people. The legislation also increases penalties for sanction violations and bolsters the U.S. trade embargo against Iran. These sanctions will send a strong signal that our Nation will not stand for the escalation of this regime's aims at a nuclear arms program, especially with violent threats against our strategic ally Israel, and the threat of that ally and its impact throughout the regions of Europe and Southeast Asia, along with the Middle East.

Clearly, their medium-range missiles are capable of reaching all of those countries within that area, and, therefore, we stand with Israel and our allies. These sanctions are a powerful step forward. We must continue to take all necessary actions and to keep every option on the table to prevent nuclear arms races in that region.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this important resolution and to send a strong message to Iran and the entire world that America will not stand by while these human rights abuses continue and they continue to pursue nuclear weapons capabilities.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) for his good remarks, as always.

I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).

Madam Speaker, I, too, want to thank my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for her strong bipartisan comments on a resolution that there is strong bipartisan support for, as witnessed by the statements here this afternoon.

Make no mistake about it, Madam Speaker, and to those who are listening. This resolution is about human rights violations in Iran. This resolution is about the despotic, sham regime that is currently governing in Iran that is oppressing the people of that country. This resolution speaks to the higher values and goals that are enshrined in our country's Constitution and Bill of Rights, those freedoms that we hold most dear, that are at the end of the day the basis for all human rights, not just in our country but throughout the world.

Therefore, today, the Congress must speak to these human rights violations that are existing in Iran. Today, the Congress must voice its opinion on the despotic rule of this regime, and by passing this resolution in a bipartisan fashion, we will not only put the House of Representatives firmly on record as to the year anniversary of the sham election that took place in Iran, but we will also reiterate our strong support for sanctions against this country that, in fact, is violating these human rights and that is turning its back on the rest of the world.

Make no mistake about it. The Iranian Government today, not its people but the Iranian Government today, is, in my view, the largest concern not only in the Middle East but throughout the world in terms of achieving peace that we all hold most dear. The goals of peace in the Middle East and throughout the world are at greatest risk by the actions and the activities and the supports of terrorist activities by this Iranian regime, whether it be to Hezbollah, whether it be to Hamas, or whether it be to other terrorist groups that it supports in so many different ways because they know at the end of the day they cannot support the family of nations throughout the world in expressing freedoms that we hold most dear.

So I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Judge Poe, an esteemed member of our Committee on Foreign Affairs and the coauthor of this resolution before us.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, in discussions about the Iranian regime's pursuit of a nuclear weapons program, or its state sponsorship of violent extremists, the persecution that the thugs in Tehran inflict on ordinary Iranians, that is sometimes overlooked. This is particularly true on the international stage.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has condemned the democratic Jewish State of Israel over and over again for defending herself, but has not once condemned the Iranian regime's brutality against the Iranian people.

Iran, a regime that stones women to death, was elected by acclamation to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Let me repeat that again; it is so absurd, it is almost incomprehensible. It is incomprehensible. Iran, a regime that stones women to death, was elected by acclamation to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. This is a Kafkaesque scenario.

So it is all the more important that we in this House stand in solidarity with the Iranian people and with all of those who support and defend human rights, support and defend democracy, support and defend freedom. We must also be clear and steadfast in describing and condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, of which there are many.

Those in power in Tehran practice torture, flogging, rape, amputation, and murder. The regime conducts systematic, official discrimination against women, Baha'is, Christians, Jews, dissident Muslims, and many others. No one is exempt.

All seven members of the national Baha'i leadership in Iran remain in prison, where they have been held unjustly for 2 years and are on trial for trumped-up charges that potentially carry the death penalty. Gay people are hanged from cranes, even as their very existence in Iran is denied by Ahmadinejad.

Since the sham ``elections''--using the term loosely--1 year ago, the regime has intensified its repression, increasing restrictions on the freedom of religion, expression, association, assembly and the press.

What is left?

Thousands of protesters, dissidents, journalists have been arbitrarily detained or killed, with innocent people shot on the street, and the Stalinesque show-trials continue.

Even Iranians who succeed in fleeing their country are reportedly still in danger as agents of the Iranian regime threaten with death if they continue to speak out and protest human rights violations by Tehran.

Despite this repression, the people of Tehran continue to put their lives on the line in pursuit of freedom, and the United States and other responsible nations must stand with them. There are many further steps we can take to help at this critical time. Above all, we must do no harm. Negotiation with the regime legitimizes its illegitimate leaders and distracts attention from their repressive acts.

We must hit the regime where it hurts by fully implementing sanctions targeting the regime's vulnerabilities, both existing sanctions and the new ones that Congress will soon enact. The same refined petroleum products and other petro-dollars that bankrolled the regime's weapons program also bankrolled its repression of human rights. Requiring the immediate implementation and enforcement of comprehensive sanctions can help stop both of these threats.

We must also support those who seek human rights for Iran and monitor abuses, such as the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, which has actually seen its funding cut. And as the beacon of liberty and democracy to the entire world, the United States must do our duty to name and shame the guilty. Because we must take an all-of-the-above approach to this issue, I introduced H.R. 4649, the bipartisan Iran Human Rights Sanctions Act which was introduced in the Senate by John McCain and Joe Lieberman. That legislation requires the President to designate and sanction those who violate the human rights of Iranians. I am gratified that some versions of this bill will be included in the Iran sanctions conference report that Congress will soon consider.

And given the importance of human rights for the Iranian people and worldwide, I am proud to strongly support the resolution before us today, H. Res. 1457. This resolution marks the 1-year anniversary of the Iranian people's mass uprising against the regime's fraud, manipulation, and repression; and it also condemns the regime's brutality.

Furthermore, the resolution reaffirms our support for all Iranians who courageously struggle for freedom. It urges the immediate release of all political prisoners and calls for freedom and democracy for the people of Iran, including fair, democratic and independent elections.

I would like to thank the authors of this resolution, distinguished members of our Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe). This legislation builds on a resolution that Judge Poe introduced 6 months ago, as well as a resolution introduced by the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul). I appreciate the long-standing efforts of all of these Members on this important issue.

Ultimately, the purpose of this resolution reflects the words of Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, words that are salient to

any discussion on the status of human rights in Iran under that brutal regime: ``We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.''

With these words in mind, we must take sides. We must act together in support of the people of Iran. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from Florida for yielding. I also want to thank my friend from California (Mr. Costa) for introducing this Resolution 1457, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important resolution.

The people of Iran are under the oppression of the little fellow from the desert, Ahmadinejad. And the little fella claimed that he won the election last year, but the whole world knows, including he, that he stole the election in Iran. The people of Iran want democracy, they want freedom, and so they took to the streets opposing the little fella. And what did he do? He retaliated. He used his henchmen, his goon squad to come out and brutalize his own people, who were unarmed but yet taking to the streets wanting freedom and a legitimate election. He injured them; he beat them; he hung them, and he shot them, peaceful Iranians wanting freedom and democracy.

But the folks of Iran were not going to be intimidated by the crimes committed against them in their pursuit for freedom and a free election, so they have continued to speak out. By continuing to speak out, of course, more of them get arrested. As my friend from California mentioned, it includes everybody: Women and children, lawyers and journalists. They are all arrested, brutalized, and some are killed in the name of keeping the little fella, Ahmadinejad, in power in Iran.

This past week in Paris, France, 100,000 people, mainly Iranians, marched in support of freedom and democracy for their homeland in Iran. And it's important that we in America let everybody know where we stand when it comes to freedom versus tyranny, freedom versus a dictatorship, that we stand by the people of the nation who want self-determination and freedom.

The Iranians kind of wonder where we stand as a Nation. They are concerned because, you see, they get their government-controlled media and it tells them one thing, that the United States is not supportive. So we need to make it clear to them that we do support them. And they don't want weapons. They don't want armament. They don't want even money. They just want to know that this country, the center and hope for the world when it comes to human rights and democracy, stands with the people, the people of Iran in their quest to control their own destiny and control their own government.

There is no freedom in Iran as long as this regime is in power and Ahmadinejad continues to be the dictator, the tyrant of the desert who threatens to destroy not only our ally Israel, but destroy the West as soon as he can get his hands on those nuclear weapons.

He needs to go. His time has come. It needs to go. And the way that that can happen is when the people of Iran take control of their own country. The best hope for the Iranians, the best hope for the world, Madam Speaker, is for a regime change in Iran by the people of Iran. So we should support that endeavor. We should tell those freedom-loving folks, those sons of liberty, those daughters of democracy, that we in America, halfway around the world, who believe in liberty and believe in democracy and believe in freedom, we stand with them. We support them morally, and we support them because they have the right to determine their own destiny.

Our quarrel as a Nation is not with the people of Iran. Our quarrel is with this dictator, this tyrant, the little fellow from the desert who wants to destroy his own nation and the rest of the world as well.

So I support this resolution and I want to compliment the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa) for bringing this to the floor.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution. I want to thank the Chairman and commend Mr. Costa and Mr. Poe for their work on the resolution.

The anniversary of the uprising of the Iranian people to secure their democratic rights is a solemn occasion. The images from last year of ordinary Iranians showing unbelievable courage in challenging the ruthless and vicious theocracy that controls Iran resonated powerfully with Americans. Recalling the late 1980s and the collapse of Communism, many have begun to hope that this wholly indigenous movement, by virtue of its own success, and entirely for its own reasons, will throw on to the ash-heap of history the brutal, irresponsible, and vicious regime of the mullahs.

I don't think any one believes the current leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran will go quietly or easily into retirement. And I think it would be foolish to assume that a reformed Iranian government would automatically be very friendly to the United States, or be less committed to the pursuit of its own national interests. But there is good reason to think that a different Iranian government, one that was truly answerable to the aspirations of the Iranian people, would transform the politics of the Middle East, dramatically change the global struggle against violent Islamic extremism and, potentially, salvage the global non-proliferation regime.

But as we think about how we can aid the Green Movement, I believe we need to be especially careful and thoughtful. There is, unfortunately, a painful history of American intervention in Iranian affairs, and we should, at the very least, have some humility about our ability to competently shape highly politicized and dynamic events in other nations.

Iran is a sovereign state whose people are struggling bravely for their own freedom. It is natural and right for us to want to support their struggle. The question is how? It seems to me that our first obligation is ``to do no harm.'' And our second obligation is to recognize that we are not a doctor, and Iran is not a patient.

With these caveats, I believe there are some important things that we can and should do; all of which can be done publicly and outside of Iran. First, as we are doing today, we must continue to let the people of Iran know that we have not forgotten them or their struggle for freedom. Second, we must continue to bear witness to vicious crimes the Iranian regime is perpetrating against its own citizens. A government at war with its own citizens is illegitimate by definition. Third, we and other nations truly committed to universal human rights must continue to highlight Iran's absolutely illegitimate and immoral behavior in international forums and in the United Nations. The Iranian regime's behavior can not be denied and it can not be excused.

Finally, and most critically, we absolutely must prevent Iran from acquiring the capability to produce nuclear weapons. For the sake of the people in Iran, for the sake of the people in the Middle East, for the sake of our allies in Israel, and for our own vital national security interests, Iran's nuclear ambitions absolutely must not be allowed to succeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of, H. Res 1457, the Resolution on the one-year anniversary of the June 12, 2009 Iranian Elections. Though one year has passed since the widely contested elections, the stain of Iran's government and its callous disregard for human rights continues to run through the streets of its cities. Although the protests of courageous voters have been violently crushed by the regime, the Iranian people remain proud and steadfast in their belief that this electoral atrocity will one day transition to dying authoritarianism and the birth of a democratic Iran.

The Iranian electoral system does not reflect the ideals of democracy held by the vast majority of other nations in the world, but rather demonstrates the desperation of a despotic regime clinging to power under the guise of fair elections.

For the June 12, 2009 elections, candidates had to be pre-approved by the Government of Iran's Guardian Council, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory announcement was made prematurely, and the final vote tallies were inconsistent with the demographics of the nation, the number of registered voters, and common sense.

Those who protested the elections had their rights of free speech brutally denied, and were beaten, jailed, injured, and killed. The Iranian regime has spilled the blood of its own citizens in the streets to maintain its illegitimate hold on power. We were all heartstruck to the see the death of Neda Agha-Soltan broadcast across the globe. It is now up to the nations who stand for democracy and freedom to support the courageous protesters in Iran.

Furthermore, following the failed Iranian elections in June, the Iranian regime has had its legitimacy wounded and its paranoia increased. The regime has taken a posture of increased repression at home and antagonism abroad. In that dangerous environment, Israel's leaders have every right to be concerned for their country's safety. While hope still exists for a free Iran, Europe, Israel and the United States must undoubtedly prepare

for a more dangerous Iranian regime in the near-term.

We must be ready for the possibility that Iran will intensify its pursuit of nuclear weapons to overcome the embarrassment of the recent elections.

For this reason, I applaud the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Banking Committee on yesterday's announcement that they had reached an agreement on the Iran sanctions conference report agreement. This long-awaited sanctions package is absolutely necessary to persuade Iran to change its conduct and its course on its nuclear program.

Madam Speaker, I urge the House of Representatives to condemn the authoritarian Iranian regime and to stand with the millions of Iranians who rushed to the streets not only to defend their right to vote, but also to defend the very ideals of democracy and free and fair societies. I call on my colleagues to support this resolution.