On the recordSeptember 22, 2016
I thank the distinguished gentleman from Kansas for offering this amendment to a very important underlying bill from the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce. It is really important to point out, as a matter of policy and what, unfortunately, is very necessary for this Congress to take action on, to make it very clear that we don't pay ransom. Now, with regard to the $1.7 billion that has been paid to Iran to secure the release of the four Iranian hostages, other terms have been used. The one most often used lately is called ``leverage.'' The fact is, if the money did not arrive immediately, the hostages wouldn't have been released. No money, no hostage release. Why are we debating as if this wasn't a ransom? If the money didn't show up, $400 million in cash, the hostages wouldn't have been released. Why do we not put a price on securing the release, a financial price? It is because now more Americans are being unjustly imprisoned by Iran. Mr. Shahini, from California, in Iran visiting his mother, is being held, accused of ``cooperating with hostile governments, actions against national security, and communication with antirevolutionary agents and media.'' This is an American visiting his mom in Iran. And why do we not pay ransom? Why we do not give money to secure the release of American hostages is that now more Americans have been taken hostage. {time} 1915
