I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5056 

To provide for the appointment of a high-level United States representative 

or special envoy for Iran for the purpose of easing tensions and normalizing relations between the United States and Iran. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 17, 2008 

Ms. LEE (for herself, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. WATERS, Mr. OLVER, Ms. NORTON, 

Mr. KUCINICH, and Mr. HINCHEY) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide for the appointment of a high-level United States 

representative or special envoy for Iran for the purpose 

of easing tensions and normalizing relations between the 

United States and Iran. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iran Diplomatic Ac5 countability Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) On December 3, 2007, the National Intel2 ligence Estimate, representing the consensus view of 

3 16 intelligence agencies, concluded that Iran had 

4 once had a covert nuclear weapons program. 

5 (2) The National Intelligence Estimate also 

6 found that Iran had halted its covert nuclear weap7 ons program in 2003 and that this program remains 

8 frozen. 

9 (3) The NIE concluded that Iran’s leadership 

10 was quite sensitive to international views and wanted 

11 to avoid international confrontation and made a 

12 ‘‘cost-benefit’’ decision regarding whether or not to 

13 have such a program. 

14 (4) Serious concerns still remain about the Gov15 ernment of Iran’s intentions and behavior with re16 spect to the development of nuclear weapons, espe17 cially regarding its fuel enrichment program and the 

18 speed with which it might reconstitute its suspended 

19 nuclear weapons program. 

20 (5) Hostile official rhetoric exacerbates tensions 

21 and reinforces misunderstandings and animus be22 tween the people of the United States and Iran. 

23 (6) The United States should enlist the support 

24 of all interested parties to the region, including the 

25 IAEA, to establish a program to ensure that Iran’s 


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1 nuclear weapons program is terminated perma2 nently, that its nuclear energy program is brought 

3 fully under IAEA inspection and control, and that 

4 all diplomatic tools are utilized to achieve these ob5 jectives. 

6 (7) A diplomatic solution that includes direct, 

7 unconditional, bilateral, and comprehensive talks 

8 with the Government of Iran is the only way to re9 solve long-standing tensions between the United 

10 States and Iran. 

11 SEC. 3. APPOINTMENT OF HIGH-LEVEL U.S. REPRESENTA12 TIVE OR SPECIAL ENVOY. 

13 (a) APPOINTMENT.—At the earliest possible date, the 

14 President shall appoint a high-level United States rep15 resentative or special envoy for Iran. 

16 (b) CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT.—The President 

17 shall appoint an individual under subsection (a) on the 

18 basis of the individual’s knowledge and understanding of 

19 the issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program, experience 

20 in conducting international negotiations, and ability to 

21 conduct negotiations under subsection (c) with the respect 

22 and trust of the parties involved in the negotiations. 

23 (c) DUTIES.—The high-level United States represent24 ative or special envoy for Iran shall— 


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1 (1) seek to conduct direct, unconditional, bilat2 eral negotiations with Iran for the purpose of easing 

3 tensions and normalizing relations between the 

4 United States and Iran; 

5 (2) consult with other countries and inter6 national organizations, including countries in the re7 gion, where appropriate and when necessary to 

8 achieve the purpose set forth in paragraph (1); 

9 (3) act as liaison with United States and inter10 national intelligence agencies where appropriate and 

11 when necessary to achieve the purpose set for in 

12 paragraph (1); and 

13 (4) ensure that the bilateral negotiations under 

14 paragraph (1) complement the ongoing international 

15 negotiations with Iran. 

16 SEC. 4. OFFICE OF HIGH-LEVEL U.S. REPRESENTATIVE OR 

17 SPECIAL ENVOY. 

18 Not later than 30 days after the appointment of a 

19 high-level United States representative or special envoy 

20 under section 3(a), the Secretary of State shall establish 

21 in the Department of State an office for the purpose of 

22 supporting the work of the representative or special envoy. 

23 SEC. 5. REPORTING TO CONGRESS. 

24 (a) REPORTS.—Not later than 60 days after the 

25 high-level United States representative or special envoy for 


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1 Iran is appointed under section 3, and every 180 days 

2 thereafter, the United States representative or special 

3 envoy shall report to the committees set forth in sub4 section (b) on the status and progress of negotiations con5 ducted under section 3(c). Each such report may, when 

6 necessary or appropriate, be submitted in classified and 

7 unclassified form. 

8 (b) COMMITTEES.—The committees referred to in 

9 subsection (a) are— 

10 (1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Com11 mittee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed 

12 Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on 

13 Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and 

14 (2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Com15 mittee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 

16 Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intel17 ligence of the Senate. 

18 SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

19 There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

20 this Act such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 

21 years 2008 and 2009. 

Æ 


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