POLISCOPE
Back to feed
FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Congressional Hearing on American Hostages in Iran

Original title: THE STATUS OF AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN IRAN

January 1, 2019

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal platform for families to advocate for the return of their relatives and for Congress to coordinate legislative strategies regarding U.S. citizens detained in Iran.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Families of detained Americans

These individuals are directly involved in advocating for the release of their relatives held or missing in Iran.

Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism

The subcommittee is responsible for oversight and the development of legislative efforts regarding the status of these detainees.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism held a hearing to receive testimony from family members of Americans currently missing or imprisoned in Iran. The session aimed to highlight the status of these individuals and discuss potential legislative actions to secure their release and hold the Iranian government accountable.

Key Facts

  • The hearing was held on March 7, 2019, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
  • The hearing focused on the status of American citizens and legal residents missing or imprisoned in Iran.
  • Robert Levinson disappeared from Kish Island, Iran, on March 9, 2007.
  • The subcommittee chairman and ranking member announced they are introducing new legislative efforts related to the issue.
  • Witnesses included family members of Robert Levinson, Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, and Nizar Zakka.
  • Members were granted 5 days to submit additional statements or questions for the record.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?
The hearing allowed family members of Americans detained or missing in Iran to share information and helped subcommittee members examine ways to secure their release and hold Iran accountable.
Who testified at the hearing?
The witnesses were Christine Levinson (wife of Robert Levinson), Babak Namazi (brother of Siamak Namazi and son of Baquer Namazi), and Omar Zakka (son of Nizar Zakka).

Why It Matters

This hearing serves as a formal platform for families to advocate for the return of their relatives and for Congress to coordinate legislative strategies regarding U.S. citizens detained in Iran.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Show 2 more sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Bipartisan Legislative Coordination

The Chairman and Ranking Member explicitly stated they are working together to introduce new, related legislative efforts, indicating a bipartisan approach to this specific foreign policy issue.

Connected Entities

personRobert LevinsonAmerican citizen missing in Iran since March 9, 2007Map →
personChristine LevinsonWitness and wife of Robert LevinsonMap →
personTheodore E. DeutchChairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and InternationalMap →
personMichael WaltzRepresentative from Florida allowed to participate in the hearingMap →
personBabak NamaziWitness and brother of Siamak Namazi/son of Baquer NamaziMap →
personJoe WilsonRanking Member of the SubcommitteeMap →
personOmar ZakkaWitness and son of Nizar ZakkaMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record