H. Res. 148 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

February 29, 2016. 

Whereas United States citizen Robert Levinson is a retired 

agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a 

resident of Coral Springs, Florida, the husband of Christine Levinson, and father of their seven children; 

Whereas Robert Levinson traveled from Dubai, United Arab 

Emirates, to Kish Island, Iran, on March 8, 2007; 

Whereas after traveling to Kish Island and checking into the 

Hotel Maryam, Robert Levinson disappeared on March 9, 

2007; 

Whereas, in December 2007, Robert Levinson’s wife, Christine, traveled to Kish Island to retrace Mr. Levinson’s 

steps and met with officials of the Government of Iran 

who pledged to help in the investigation; 

Whereas, for more than 8 years, the United States Government has continually pressed the Government of Iran to 

provide any information on the whereabouts of Robert 

Levinson and to help ensure his prompt and safe return 

to his family; 

Whereas officials of the Government of Iran promised their 

continued assistance to the relatives of Robert Levinson 

during the visit of the family to the Islamic Republic of 

Iran in December 2007; 
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Whereas, in November 2010, the Levinson family received a 

video of Mr. Levinson in captivity, representing the first 

proof of life since his disappearance and providing some 

initial indications that he was being held somewhere in 

southwest Asia; 

Whereas, in April 2011, the Levinson family received a series 

of pictures of Mr. Levinson, which provided further indications that he was being held somewhere in southwest 

Asia; 

Whereas Secretary John Kerry stated on August 28, 2013, 

‘‘The United States respectfully asks the Government of 

the Islamic Republic of Iran to work cooperatively with 

us in our efforts to help U.S. citizen Robert Levinson.’’; 

Whereas, on September 28, 2013, during the first direct 

phone conversation between the heads of the Government 

of the United States and Iran since 1979, President 

Barack Obama raised the case of Robert Levinson to 

President of Iran Hassan Rouhani and urged the President of Iran to help locate Mr. Levinson and reunite him 

with his family; 

Whereas, on August 29, 2014, Secretary of State John Kerry 

again stated that the United States ‘‘respectfully request 

the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran work cooperatively with us to find Mr. Levinson and bring him 

home.’’; 

Whereas on July 14, 2015, the Governments of the United 

States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and 

Germany concluded 20 months of negotiations with Iran 

over its nuclear program; 

Whereas, on January 16, 2016, the Government of Iran released five United States citizens detained in Iran, Jason 
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Rezaian of California, Saeed Abedini of Idaho, Amir 

Mirzaei Hekmati of Michigan, Matthew Trevithick of 

Massachusetts, and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari; 

Whereas, on January 17, 2016, President Obama stated 

‘‘even as we rejoice in the safe return of others, we will 

never forget about Bob’’, referring to Robert Levinson, 

and that ‘‘each and every day but especially today our 

hearts are with the Levinson family and we will never 

rest until their family is whole again.’’; 

Whereas, on January 19, 2016, White House Press Secretary 

Josh Earnest stated that the United States Government 

had ‘‘secured a commitment from the Iranians to use the 

channel that has now been opened to secure the release 

of those individuals that we know were being held by Iran 

* * * to try and gather information about Mr. Levinson’s 

possible whereabouts’’; 

Whereas, on November 26, 2013, Robert Levinson became 

the longest held United States hostage in our Nation’s 

history; and 

Whereas the FBI has announced a $5 million reward for information leading to Mr. Levinson’s safe return: Now, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) recognizes that Robert Levinson is the longest 

held United States hostage in our Nation’s history; 

(2) notes the repeated pledges by and renewed commitment of officials of the Government of Iran to provide their Government’s assistance in the case of Robert 

Levinson; 
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(3) urges the Government of Iran, as a humanitarian gesture, to act on its promises to assist in the 

case of Robert Levinson and to immediately provide to 

the United States Government all available information 

from all entities of the Government of Iran regarding the 

disappearance of Robert Levinson; 

(4) urges the President and the allies of the United 

States to continue to raise with officials of the Government of Iran the case of Robert Levinson at every opportunity, notwithstanding ongoing and serious disagreements the United States Government has with the Government of Iran on a broad array of issues, including 

Iran’s ballistic missile program, sponsorship of international terrorism, and human rights abuses; and 

(5) expresses sympathy to the family of Robert 

Levinson for their anguish and expresses hope that their 

ordeal can be brought to an end in the near future. 

Attest: 

Clerk.