HRES430JUN8

The resolution preamble explains that Dr. Haleh Esfandiari holds Iranian and US citizenship and while attempting to leave Iran after visiting her ailing mother there was robbed at knifepoint by three men who stole her travel documents, luggage and other effects.

While attempting to get replacement documents she was interrogated by Iranian intelligence over several days. Over time she was denied her passport, was summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence and is currently in prison.

Dr. Esfandiari taught at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for scholars in Washington, D.C. The Center, among other things, prepares US Foreign Service Officers for their careers overseas. Dr. Esfandiari was questioned extensively about the Center, the preamble says.

The Senate calls on the US government to use all appropriate diplomatic means and channels to encourage Iran to release Dr. Esfandiari and to offer her an apology.

More resolution below….

Sponsor: Rep. Chris Van Hollen [MD-8th]

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent May 25, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost

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MORE INFORMATION

Whereas Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, Ph.D., holds dual citizenship in the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari taught Persian language and literature for many years at Princeton University, where she inspired untold numbers of students to study the rich Persian language and culture;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari is a resident of the State of Maryland and the Director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC (referred to in this preamble as the `Wilson Center');

Whereas, for the past decade, Dr. Esfandiari has traveled to Iran twice a year to visit her ailing 93-year-old mother;

Whereas, in December 2006, on her return to the airport during her last visit to Iran, Dr. Esfandiari was robbed by 3 masked, knife-wielding men, who stole her travel documents, luggage, and other effects;

Whereas, when Dr. Esfandiari attempted to obtain replacement travel documents in Iran, she was invited to an interview by a representative of the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari was interrogated by the Ministry of Intelligence for hours on many days;

Whereas the questioning of the Ministry of Intelligence focused on the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari answered all questions to the best of her ability, and the Wilson Center also provided extensive information to the Ministry in a good faith effort to aid Dr. Esfandiari;

Whereas the harassment of Dr. Esfandiari increased, with her being awakened while napping to find 3 strange men standing at her bedroom door, one wielding a video camera, and later being pressured to make false confessions against herself and to falsely implicate the Wilson Center in activities in which it had no part;

Whereas Lee Hamilton, former United States Representative and president of the Wilson Center, has written to the President of Iran to call his attention to Dr. Esfandiari's dire situation;

Whereas Mr. Hamilton repeated that the Wilson Center's mission is to provide forums to exchange views and opinions and not to take positions on issues, nor try to influence specific outcomes;

Whereas the lengthy interrogations of Dr. Esfandiari by the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran stopped on February 14, 2007, but she heard nothing for 10 weeks and was denied her passport;

Whereas, on May 8, 2007, Dr. Esfandiari honored a summons to appear at the Ministry of Intelligence, whereby she was taken immediately to Evin prison, where she is currently being held; and

Whereas the Ministry of Intelligence has implicated Dr. Esfandiari and the Wilson Center in advancing the alleged aim of the United States Government of supporting a `soft revolution' in Iran: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That--

(1) the Senate calls upon the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, replace her lost travel documents, and cease its harassment tactics; and

(2) it is the sense of the Senate that--

(A) the United States Government, through all appropriate diplomatic means and channels, should encourage the Government of Iran to release Dr. Esfandiari and offer her an apology; and

(B) the United States should coordinate its response with its allies throughout the Middle East, other governments, and all appropriate international organizations.

No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)

Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 5/22/2007) Cosponsors (5)
Related Bills: S.RES.214
Latest Major Action: 5/23/2007 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

Jump to: Summary, Major Actions, All Actions, Titles, Cosponsors, Committees, Related Bill Details, Amendments

SUMMARY AS OF:
5/22/2007--Introduced.

Calls on the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, replace her lost travel documents, and cease its harassment tactics.

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the U.S. government, through all appropriate means and diplomatic channels, should encourage the government of Iran to release Dr. Esfandiari and offer her an apology; and (2) the United States should coordinate its response with its allies throughout the Middle East, other governments, and all appropriate international organizations.

MAJOR ACTIONS:

***NONE***

ALL ACTIONS:

5/22/2007:

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1119)

5/22/2007:

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

5/23/2007:

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

5/23/2007:

Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

TITLE(S): (italics indicate a title for a portion of a bill)

***NONE***

COSPONSORS(5), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)

Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 5/22/2007
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 5/22/2007
Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T. [MD-1] - 5/22/2007
Rep Lantos, Tom [CA-12] - 5/22/2007
Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3] - 5/23/2007

COMMITTEE(S):

Committee/Subcommittee:	Activity:
House Foreign Affairs	Referral, Markup, In Committee

Bill:	Relationship:
S.RES.214	Identical bill identified by CRS

AMENDMENT(S):

***NONE***

Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari. (Introduced in House)

HRES 430 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 430

Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 22, 2007

Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. GILCHREST, and Mr. ACKERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

RESOLUTION

Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari.

Whereas Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, Ph.D., holds dual citizenship in the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari taught Persian language and literature for many years at Princeton University, where she inspired untold numbers of students to study the rich Persian language and culture;

Whereas, for the past decade, Dr. Esfandiari has traveled to Iran twice a year to visit her ailing 93-year-old mother;

Whereas, when Dr. Esfandiari attempted to obtain replacement travel documents in Iran, she was invited to an interview by a representative of the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari was interrogated by the Ministry of Intelligence for 7 to 8 hours per day;

Whereas the questioning of the Ministry of Intelligence focused on the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center;

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari answered all questions to the best of her ability, and the Wilson Center also provided extensive information to the Ministry in a good faith effort to aid Dr. Esfandiari;

Whereas Lee Hamilton, former United States Representative and president of the Wilson Center, has written to the President of Iran to call his attention to Dr. Esfandiari's dire situation;

Whereas Mr. Hamilton repeated that the Wilson Center's mission is to provide forums to exchange views and opinions and not to take positions on issues, nor try to influence specific outcomes;

Whereas the lengthy interrogations of Dr. Esfandiari by the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran stopped on February 14, 2007, but she heard nothing for 10 weeks and was denied her passport;

Whereas, on May 7, 2007, Dr. Esfandiari was summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence and taken immediately to Evin prison, where she is currently being held;

Whereas the Ministry of Intelligence has yet to produce any evidence of wrong-doing on Dr. Esfandiari's behalf to justify its actions toward her; and

Whereas the Government of Iran should immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Esfandiari and all other individuals being detained for participating in the free exchange of scholarship and ideas: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That--

(1) the House of Representatives calls on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, replace her lost travel documents, and cease its harassment tactics; and

(2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--

(A) the United States Government, through all appropriate means and diplomatic channels, should encourage the Government of Iran to release Dr. Esfandiari and offer her an apology; and

(B) the United States should coordinate its response with its allies throughout the Middle East, other governments, and all appropriate international organizations.