Congressional Round Up
Congress is considering a number of legislative initiatives that may be of interest to the Iranian American community. The PAAIA Public Policy Center is pleased to provide a round-up on the status of the legislation. In general, PAAIA focuses on bills and congressional actions concerning three areas: civil liberties, foreign policy towards Iran, and immigration. PAAIA recognizes that it is important that Iranian Americans be informed about legislative initiatives in these areas and the positions that their members of Congress take concerning them.
Bills & Resolutions
Foreign Policy
H.RES.109: Condemnation of Persecution of Baha’is
On March 12, 2013, Michael Grimm (R-NY/11th) introduced H.RES.109. The legislation has gained a total of 88 co-sponsors, the most recent of whom is Representative Patrick Meehan (R-PA/7th), and has been referred to the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa.
H.RES.109 calls on Iran to release all prisoners being held solely on account of their religion. It calls on the U.S. president and secretary of state, in cooperation with responsible nations, to condemn Iran’s continued human rights violations and demand that prisoners held for their religious beliefs be released. H.RES.109 also urges the president and secretary to impose sanctions on Iranian government officials and other individuals directly responsible to serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran’s Baha’i community.
H.RES.109 has been introduced in the Senate as S.RES.75.
H.RES.431: Calling on the United States Senate to increase sanctions against Iran.
On December 5, 2013, Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA/1st) introduced H.RES.431. The legislation has gained a total of 64 co-sponsors, the most recent of whom is Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO/2nd), and has been referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa in the House of Representatives.
H.RES.431 states that it is U.S. policy to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability and calls on the Senate to take immediate action on the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013 to increase sanctions against Iran.
Click here to view all of the current proposed legislation and policies that impact our community.
