Condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses against the brave women and men of Iran peacefully demonstrating in more than 133 cities.

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.

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.

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

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning).

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

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).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres).

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.

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.

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.