IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 256 

Expressing the sense of Congress that any official within the Government 

of Iran at the level of deputy minister or higher or officer within the 

Iranian Revolutionary Guard is presumptively ineligible for a travel visa 

to the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 22, 2010 

Mr. HIMES (for himself and Mr. KLEIN of Florida) submitted the following 

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that any official within 

the Government of Iran at the level of deputy minister 

or higher or officer within the Iranian Revolutionary 

Guard is presumptively ineligible for a travel visa to 

the United States. 

Whereas the Government of Iran was designated a state 

sponsor of terrorism under section 6(j)(1)(A) of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 

2405(j)(1)(A)), section 620A(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371(a)), and section 40(d) 

of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780(d)); 

Whereas, according to the Department of State’s Country 

Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008, the Government of Iran’s ‘‘poor human rights record worsened, 


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•HCON 256 IH 

and it continued to commit numerous serious abuses . . . 

the government severely limited citizens’ right to change 

their government peacefully through free and fair elections . . . authorities held political prisoners and intensified a crackdown against women’s rights reformers, ethnic minority rights activists, student activists, and religious minorities’’; 

Whereas the Government of Iran has engaged in a pattern 

of deception and evasion while the international community has sought to ensure in good faith that Iran does 

not develop nuclear weapons, and poses a direct security 

threat to the United States and its allies in the region; 

Whereas the Government of Iran and pro-government militias 

continue to brutally suppress the Iranian people through 

censorship, imprisonment, and continued acts of violence 

against citizens seeking the exercise of basic freedoms; 

Whereas the Government of Iran has been responsible for the 

deaths of United States soldiers and civilians in Iraq and 

Afghanistan, including Iran’s provision of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosively formed penetrators 

to insurgent forces in both theaters of war; 

Whereas the Government of Iran provides significant and ongoing economic and logistical support to terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and others; 

Whereas officials representing the Government of Iran have 

made and continue to make belligerent and unprovoked 

statements regarding the most critical regional ally of the 

United States, the State of Israel, including denial of the 

Holocaust and calls for the complete destruction of Israel 

itself; 


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•HCON 256 IH 

Whereas the concerns of the United States regarding Iran 

are strictly the result of the actions of the Government 

of Iran, that the people of the United States have feelings of friendship for the people of Iran, and that cultural exchanges and regulated travel between the people 

of Iran and of the United States is a benefit to both nations; 

Whereas the Government of Iran regularly sponsors, displays, 

and disseminates propaganda calling for the destruction 

or defeat of the United States, often employing the 

phrase ‘‘Death to America’’, and referring to the United 

States as ‘‘the Great Satan’’; 

Whereas high-ranking members of the Government of Iran 

are known to have traveled freely to the United States 

to make use of medical facilities, visit tourist attractions, 

and in other ways enjoy access to social, economic, and 

recreational opportunities within the United States; 

Whereas, due to a higher probability of satisfying the economic and social criteria required as part of the Department of State’s travel visa process, Iranians with economic and political connections to the Government of 

Iran are more likely to enjoy the benefits of travel to the 

United States than the average Iranian citizen; and 

Whereas the United States cannot continue to allow the inherent hypocrisy of an anti-American regime whose members benefit disproportionately from the ability to travel 

freely to, and enjoy the benefits of, opportunities, and resources available within the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that any offiVerDate Nov 24 2008 02:08 Mar 23, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC256.IH HC256

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•HCON 256 IH 

1 cial within the Government of Iran at the level of deputy 

2 minister or higher or officer within the Iranian Revolu3 tionary Guard is presumptively ineligible for a travel visa 

4 to the United States. 

Æ 


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