consume. today, we consider an urgent bipartisan concurrent resolution condemning the iranian regime for its gross human rights against protestors who are speaking up who have been

silenced. i thank my democratic colleague, mr. gottheimer and representative mccaul. while i was disappointed we were not able to get this resolution to the floor last congress and i partnered with representative mallin nows ky and it is being brought up for a vote and broad bipartisan whether china, russia or iran. this majority is willing to stand up to our adversaries and protect united states' national security interests. since the death of the 22-year-old while in the custody of iran's regime police, the iranian people have taken to the streets to demand justice. now almost 4 1/2 months later, men, women and children continue to protest the regime and its cruelty despite the risk to themselves and families.

they are risking a cause. these demonstrations are the most significant popular protests against the authoritarian rule since it came to power in 1979 and the response has been vicious, violent and vindictive, not surprisingly. hundreds of protestors have been murdered. thousands more have been detained on trumped up charges and those in custody have been subject to cruel and inhumane torture. they have unjustly executed protestors in sham trials. many dozens more face the possibility of execution. but the brave iranian people are not backing down. in fact, they are more resolved than ever and demanding a government that demands the rights at home and makes pace with their names and demanding

freedom, justice and the rule of law and the chance of prosperity. it is vital we and the u.s. representatives, a body that is among the greatest symbols of freedom and democracy 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 support for the brave iranians who put their lives on the line to secure their rights and freedoms. it urges the biden administration to do more instead of negotiating with broughtal regime, 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 and do everything it can to counter the iranian' regime to restrict internet access and prevents citizens from sharing images and

communicating with the outside world. we need to give them the opportunity to tell the truth. the biden administration must lead the effort to press our allies and partners around the world to designate the islamic revolutionary guard as a terrorist organization. they use terror to silence iranian citizens at home and targets innocent citizens abroad. the united states rightedly designated it a foreign terrorist organization in 2019. the rest of the world must join in this cause. this terror must come to an end. this resolution says loudly and clearly that the american people on the side of the courageous iranian people, the u.s. house of representatives condemns the regime's horrific violence. as we recognize the bravery of

the protestors, i take a moment that we have american citizens being held hostage in iran. these innocent american citizens have endured years of false allegations, wretched situations. they must be released. no american can be left behind. i thank the 60 members who have co-sponsored this resolution and urge the entire house to support its passage. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. meeks: i rise in strong support of this resolution and i yield myself such time as i may consume. mr. speaker, let me first thank representative tenney and former representative malinowski for their hard work on this bill.

we wanted to get it done in the last congress, but it is one of the first things we get done in the 118th congress. last year the world held their breath as iranian women took to the streets protesting the devastating murder of the 22-year-old, who was detained for allegedly violating the strict dress code. the world thought maybe the regime would be ushered by their own people and to the dust bin of history. the protests quickly escalated into calls of the overthrow of iran's theocracy and posed challenges since the 1979 revolution had brought them to power.

all the protests have slowed some and the regime remains firmly in place, something has changed. the iranian people knew the understanding of their power. despite bullets, despite arrests and threat of execution, they persisted. cracks have been formed within the iranian leadership elite. they are not willing to meet the people's demands and 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 has killed his own people for decades. the iranian people know it. the iranian president has not not delivered on any of his promises and left the iranian

economy in at that timers through -- tatters through corruption and international pressure. and guess what, the iranian people know it. it will not be an instant and will not be easy, but change will come and brighter days await the iranian people. and the iranian people, this regime knows it's 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 air own safety to

speak out against the horrific abuses committed by the iranian regime. it asks the biden administration to continuities important work to support the people of iran as well as encourages the private sector to do even more iranians help 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 stands with them in their time for struggle and freedom. we want the iranian people to know 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 tragedy. and so, 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's bicameral and people all across this country stands 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. with that i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. tenney: thank you, mr. meeks from new york. i greatly appreciate your support. i yield two minutes to the gentleman from ohio, mr. miller. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. miller: thank you, mr.

speaker. and thank you to my dear friend and colleague, ms. tenney, for yielding and her leadership on this issue. i rise in strong support of the house concurrent resolution 7. today, the united states house of representatives stands up for human rights for the same freedoms that we as americans hold so near and dear in our own country and against the brutal regime in iran. the iranian government has a long track record of vial human rights abuses. notably, they're the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world and not just against the united states but countries such as our own democratic ally in the middle east, israel. in september, the senseless murder of 22-year-old mahsa amini, at the hands of the so-called morality police, for wearing her hi jab improperly -- hijab improperly, put them in

front for the world to see. they are demanding basic human rights. the regime's response is to crack down even harder. since the protest broke out in september, more than 450 have been killed, including 58 children. at least another 18,000 were arrested. this is reprehensible, unacceptable, and inexcusable. no government should ever treat its people this way. the united states must continue to support the iranian people and their struggle for freedom. the biden administration should take a strong stand and end its quest for a new iran nuclear deal and great american companies like star link should be help bringing much-needed internet access to those protesting in the streets which will significantly increase their communication and information sharing. that is why i am proud to stand here on the floor of the house of representatives today in support of house concurrent resolution 7. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york

reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. meeks: mr. speaker, i'm proud to yield three minutes to the gentleman from rhode island, mr. cicilline. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. cicilline: i thank the gentleman for yielding. 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, 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 said that more than 20,000 have been detained and more than 500 people have been killed, including children. once more, they have executed four protesters with many more being sentenced for crimes that carry the death penalty. these human rights abuses must be stopped immediately. the international community must stand with the iranian people and against this violence 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 is inspiring the world and deserves our respect and strong support. they must know america stands with them. i want to 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. i look forward to continuing our bipartisan work to advance the cause of human rights in iran. i thank the gentleman, again, for yielding, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentlelady from new york is now recognized. ms. tenney: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. tenney: mr. speaker -- mr. speaker, while i am pleased that the bipartisan support of this resolution, i think it's important to reinforce that there can be absolutely 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, tore during, 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. i implore the biden administration to not resume these fool harty efforts. we -- fool hearty efforts. the ayatollah uses fear, intimidation to achieve political goals. we must return to firm pressure and strong resolve while enhancing our deterrence in the region. until this regime changes its behavior, it must remain under pressure. i reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves her time. the gentleman from new york is now recognized. mr. meeks: i proudly yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. manning. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. ms. manning: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today as a proud co-sponsor 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 four 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's clear iran has no problem sentencing their own people to death simply for joining demonstrations. they're 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 and at that 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. i'm voting yes on this resolution today, and i

encourage all my colleagues to join with me. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves his time. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. tenney: i continue to yield the balance of my time -- reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. meeks: yes. i yield such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. meeks: i just wanted to point out, mr. speaker, that this is a bipartisan bill in which we're working together. just last week, the biden administration hit iran with fresh new sanctions. not only did he do that individually, as he's doing throughout the world, bringing people together so we can speak with one voice. so, of course, the european union was a part of it. of course, he brought along other countries, so the world is

speaking with one voice, collectively keeping us together. so as things go on, we're continually ratcheting it up so that the people of iran can get its freedom. in fact, the only thing that was somewhat changed and was done in this bill where it encouraged the private sector, following the recent clarification by the biden administration of sanction exemptions on communication technology to work with the biden administration to ensure protesters and activists have access to tools needed to circumvent government surveillance and repression. so the only thing that was eased some so we can make sure we're communicating and allowing the iranian people to communicate with others as they protest is what's in this bill. and i think in a bipartisan way we agree with that. with that, mr. speaker, i yield

three minutes to the gentlewoman from texas, ms. sheila jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. jackson lee: i thank the ranking member and i thank ms. tenney for her leadership on this legislation. and 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 clear tone without fear of 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, republicans have said to iran, no nonsense. no nonsense. and certainly no nuclear capacity. and anything that we have to do to ensure 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've been a long time fighter with the people of iran that are here in the united states, iranian americans who have taken to the streets to be able to say no more, and that we will stand with our brothers and sisters in iran. i have seen the various attacks that have resulted in mass killings. i've seen the fight in iraq where there has been a large loss of life. people that have been fighting for freedom. and i went to the camp to see

the devastation, and i've supported a plan 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, uncles. what about mosha, just 22. wanting her life to be before her. seeking to democracy and freedom. 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 to have her life snuffed out. we don't know her last hoursers last days, lastlast hours, last days, last minutes, we don't know how brutal it might have

been. how she cite mite have cried out for someone, someone to understand her life deserved an opportunity to live. 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, children protestors leading the fight, i say loud and clearly we are standing with you. i support this legislation entirely. i want to continue the u.s.-iran friendship with those people who are fighting for freedom. let me conclude my remarks by saying i look forward to establishing -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. jackson lee: women's struggle -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. jackson lee: i thank the gentleman. 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'd like to also indicate i look forward to organizing the iranian women's struggle against dictators congressional caucus. 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 i thank the sponsors of this legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. tenney: mr. speaker, i thank the gentlelady from texas for her strong compassion for these horrific situations in iran and the women of iran. i continue to reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. meeks: i'm proud to yield two minutes to the gentleman from new york, representative torres. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. torres: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of the resolution. iran is the leading aggressor in the middle east. the leading state sponsor of

terrorism in the world. and a long-standing oppressor of its own people. the iranian regime which has repressed far too many for far too long has been shaken to the core by a revolution led by powerful women, horrificking their lives by confronting a murderous regime. the united states must stand unequivocally with our iranian sisters in their fearless fight for 15. in soapt, 2021, mahsa was brutally beaten to death merely for not wearing a head covering. out of the tragedy of her murder came a spontaneous groundswell of thousands of iranian women rising up for their freedom, some removing their head conversation and cutting their hair as a poignant form of protest. the revolution there reminds us the future of iran does not belong to a regime whose mow level lens have -- mow levellens

has become too glaring to ignore. it belongs to its people led by the fearless female freedom fighters. the vision of a free and democratic iran is an unrealized dream whose time has come, whose realization is long overdue. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. tenney: i thank the gentleman from new york for his compassionate remarks in support of this resolution. continue to i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. meeks: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. for the purposes of closing. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. meeks: 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 low changed, i say this 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's us pulling together, all the people of the united states, and international community around the world recognizes the bravery

and the strength of the iranian people in the fight for the human rights. for their freedom, and for a better tomorrow. we have to keep our voices. dr. king once said, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. and we have to stand together and that's 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, it is my hope and i'm 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 we hear you, we see you, we stand with you until you get your freedom. with that, mr. speaker, i yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. tenney: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself the balance of the time. i want to 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 to the floor. the fact that this resolution is brought to the floor so quickly this week because the house majority demonstrates the importance of this issue, although i do 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. i am grateful to you for your leadership and always being so supportive. again i want to thank mr. gottheimer, especially, and mr. mccaul, for co-leading this resolution with me and all the speakers and everyone who have spoken in support of this resolution. how important it is that we stand as united voice against the iranian regime in support of the people of iran. we commend your bravery. we mourn your losses, and the american people are with you as you stand up for