By Caitlin Webber, CQ Staff
The House and Senate Friday adopted separate resolutions of support for Iranians protesting the outcome of that country’s June 12 presidential election, putting Congress at odds with President Obama’s more guarded approach.
The House went first, voting 401-5 to adopt a measure (H Res 560) expressing “support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom . . . condem
of ongoing violence against demonstrators by the government of Iran ... and affir of the universality of individual rights.”
The Senate later adopted by voice vote two measures (S Res 193; S Res 196) backing the protests and calling for free speech in Iran, respectively.
“The time has come for the United States Congress to speak out unequivocally in support of the fundamental right of the Iranian people to determine their future for themselves in freedom,” Sens. John McCain , R-Ariz., and Joseph I. Lieberman , I-Conn., in a joint statement. “With this resolution, the Senate joined with our colleagues in the House of Representatives to affirm our shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law, and to condemn the unacceptable violence against the peaceful demonstrators taking place in Iran.”
moreBy Eric Kleefeld - June 19, 2009, 1:53PM
The House
voted 405-1 today for a resolution in support of the Iranian dissidents and condemning the ruling government. And the one man who opposed it was...Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX).
Paul said in
his floor speech that he was in "reluctant opposition" to the resolution -- that he of course condemns violence by governments against their citizens. On the other hand, he also doesn't think the American government should act as a judge of every country overseas, and pointed out that we don't condemn countries like Saudi Arabia or Egypt that don't even have real elections.
"It seems our criticism is selective and applied when there are political points to be made," Paul said. "I have admired President Obama's cautious approach to the situation in Iran and I would have preferred that we in the House had acted similarly."
Check out Paul's full floor statement, after the jump.
linkUpdated to add:
Pence has called on the United States "to take a half-step back from this administration's olive branch and the apology approach to enemies and countries that have been hostile to the United States of America and our allies, particularly with the road to Iran."
But Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Washington would be making an "enormous mistake" by taking sides in the Iranian protests.
"There is no need for the United States of America to step into the middle of it and make this about America," Kerry told CNN's "The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer."
"It is an Iranian moment, spurred on by Iranians, thoroughly supported by Iranians to the degree that the supreme ayatollah has now backed off his own support for the elections
called for an investigation," he said.
link Kerry warns McCain and neocon agitators to 'Think Before You Speak' (NYT)