III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 99 

Calling on the Government of Iran to follow through on repeated promises 

of assistance in the case of Robert Levinson, the longest held United 

States civilian in our Nation’s history. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 10, 2015 

Mr. NELSON (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. COONS, and Mr. CARPER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations 

FEBRUARY 10, 2016 

Reported by Mr. CORKER, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble and an amendment to the title 

FEBRUARY 11, 2016 

Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble and an 

amendment to the title 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Government of Iran to follow through on 

repeated promises of assistance in the case of Robert 

Levinson, the longest held United States civilian in our 

Nation’s history. 

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; 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 99 ATS 

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 eight 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; 

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 of State John Kerry stated on August 28, 

2013, ‘‘The United States respectfully asks the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to work cooperaVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:49 Feb 11, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR99.ATS SR99

srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 99 ATS 

tively 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 governments 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 Kerry 

again stated that the United States ‘‘respectfully 

request[s] 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, Germany, and Iran agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan 

of Action; 

Whereas, on January 16, 2016, the Government of Iran released five United States citizens detained in Iran, Jason 

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 that 

‘‘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 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 99 ATS 

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, Mr. Levinson became the 

longest held United States civilian in our Nation’s history; and 

Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced 

a $5,000,000 reward for information leading to Mr. 

Levinson’s safe return: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes that Robert Levinson is the long3 est held United States civilian in our Nation’s his4 tory; 

5 (2) notes the repeated pledges by and renewed 

6 commitment of officials of the Government of Iran 

7 to provide their Government’s assistance in the case 

8 of Robert Levinson; 

9 (3) urges the Government of Iran, as a humani10 tarian gesture, to act on its promises to assist in the 

11 case of Robert Levinson and to immediately provide 

12 all available information from all entities of the Gov13 ernment of Iran regarding the disappearance of 

14 Robert Levinson to the United States Government; 

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

16 United States to continue to raise with officials of 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 99 ATS 

1 the Government of Iran the case of Robert Levinson 

2 at every opportunity, notwithstanding ongoing and 

3 serious disagreements the United States Government 

4 has with the Government of Iran on a broad array 

5 of issues, including Iran’s ballistic missile program, 

6 sponsorship of international terrorism, and human 

7 rights abuses; and 

8 (5) expresses sympathy to the family of Robert 

9 Levinson for their anguish and expresses hope that 

10 their ordeal can be brought to an end in the near 

11 future. 

Æ 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS