EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER DETENTION OF AUSTIN TICE; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 204

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EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER DETENTION OF AUSTIN TICE

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the

resolution (\[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17)) expressing concern over the detention of Austin

Tice, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

The text of the resolution is as follows:

\[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17)

Whereas Austin Tice is a 39-year-old veteran, having served

in the Marine Corps as an infantry officer, a Georgetown law

student, and a graduate of Georgetown University, from

Houston, Texas;

Whereas Austin is an Eagle Scout, National Merit

Scholarship finalist, and eldest of seven children;

Whereas Austin was a contributing freelance journalist to

McClatchy Newspapers, the Washington Post and other media

outlets, and a recipient of the 2012 George Polk Award for

War Reporting;

Whereas, in May 2012, Austin crossed the Turkey-Syria

border to report on the intensifying conflict in Syria;

Whereas, on August 11, 2012, Austin celebrated his 31st

birthday in Darayaa, Syria;

Whereas, on August 14, 2012, Austin departed for Beirut,

Lebanon, was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus, Syria,

and contact with family, friends, and colleagues ceased;

Whereas, in late September 2012, a video clip appeared on

YouTube showing Austin blindfolded and being prodded up a

hillside by masked militants;

Whereas in the years since Austin's disappearance, no group

has claimed responsibility for his capture;

Whereas the Syrian government has never acknowledged

detaining Austin and has denied the same to Austin's parents;

Whereas officials of the United States believe Austin is

alive and being held in Syria and that the Syrian government

should assist in locating and returning Austin to his family;

Whereas Austin Tice's parents, Marc and Debra Tice, have

been diligent in their efforts to find their son, repeatedly

meeting

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with senior officials of the United States Government, the

Syrian government, the United Nations, and many others;

Whereas the Tices have traveled to the Middle East multiple

times, most recently in December 2018, seeking Austin's safe

release, and Debra Tice spent four months living in Damascus,

Syria, for the same purpose;

Whereas the Tices have partnered with Reporters Without

Borders to launch campaigns with nearly 270 newspapers and

media organizations, highlighting Austin's case in their

publications and on their websites;

Whereas institutions and organizations, including

Georgetown University, Georgetown Law Center, the National

Press Club, the Committee to Protect Journalists, McClatchy,

and the Washington Post, have collaborated to raise and

maintain public awareness of Austin's detention;

Whereas, on November 18, 2018, then-United States Special

Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Robert O'Brien, said

that the United States Government believes Austin Tice is

alive;

Whereas at a press briefing on March 19, 2020, President

Trump expressed concern for Austin and called on the Syrian

government to release him;

Whereas Majd Kamalmaz is a 62-year old Syrian-American

psychotherapist, father of four, and resident of Texas;

Whereas Majd is a well-known mental-health professional

with experience in disaster relief and post-traumatic care;

Whereas in February 2017 Majd traveled to Syria to visit an

elderly family member and aid civilians traumatized by the

Syrian civil war;

Whereas on February 16, 2017 Majd's family received word

that he had been detained at a checkpoint on his way to

Ghouta, outside of Damascus, Syria;

Whereas since February 2017 Majd's family has not heard

from him;

Whereas the Syrian government has never publicly

acknowledged detaining Majd;

Whereas Majd's family and the Syrian-American community

have advocated tirelessly for his immediate release;

Whereas in July 2020, United States Ambassador and Special

Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens

publicly stated, \\\`\\\`The U.S. Government is in frequent contact

with the Kamalmaz family to provide support and information''

and that \\\`\\\`Bringing home Majd, along with all U.S. citizens

held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, has the attention

of the highest levels in the U.S. government.''; and

Whereas, as described in the Caesar Syria Civilian

Protection Act of 2019 (22 U.S.C. 8791 note), Congress calls

on the regime of Bashar al-Assad to release all political

prisoners forcibly held within its prison system and to allow

access to the same facilities for investigations by

appropriate international human rights organizations: Now,

therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) expresses its ongoing concern regarding the capture of

Austin Tice in August 2012 and Majd Kamalmaz in February

2017, and their continuing detention;

(2) encourages the Department of State, the intelligence

community, and the interagency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell

to jointly continue investigations and to pursue all possible

information regarding Austin and Majd's detention;

(3) encourages the Department of State and the Special

Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to engage the Syrian

government to facilitate Austin and Majd's safe release and

return;

(4) encourages the Department of State to work with foreign

governments known to have diplomatic influence with the

Syrian government; and

(5) requests that the Department of State and the

intelligence community continue to work with and inform

Congress and the families of Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz to

the extent possible regarding efforts to secure their safe

release and return from detention in Syria.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New

York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will

control 20 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

{time} 1630

General Leave

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have

5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and

include extraneous material on \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17).

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the

gentleman from New York?

There was no objection.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in August 2012, American journalist and Marine veteran

Austin Tice was abducted while reporting on the ongoing conflict in

Syria. Eight years later, Tice continues to be held captive, his family

and friends unaware of his condition and whereabouts.

Five years later, another American citizen, Texas resident and

psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz, was detained without cause in northern

Syria while visiting an elderly family member and aiding civilians

traumatized by the civil war. Kamalmaz has been imprisoned by the Assad

regime in Syria ever since without access to the outside world.

The Tice and Kamalmaz families have worked tirelessly to secure the

immediate release of their loved ones. Still, Austin and Majd continue

to suffer inside Syria. \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17) encourages the Department of State,

the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and

other U.S. Government entities to work jointly to facilitate Tice and

Kamalmaz' safe release and return.

This legislation does not legitimize the Assad regime. I would never

do that. For years and years, I have called them out on all of their

human rights violations. It is a brutal regime, murdering men, women,

and children in the hundreds of thousands.

So, this doesn't legitimize the Assad regime, nor does it legitimize

the deplorable tactic of hostage-taking. In fact, it does the opposite.

Passing this resolution is a recognition that our country stands with

Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz and those like them who have been victims

of the Assad regime.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Al Green for introducing this

important legislation. I want to also recognize, once again, our

committee's ranking member, Michael McCaul, for his leadership on

this issue. I am proud to support this measure, and I encourage my

colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, December 1, 2020.

Hon. Eliot Engel,

Committeee on Foreign Affairs,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Engel: I write concerning \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17), a

resolution that expresses concern regarding the 2012 capture

and detention in Syria of Austin Tice--a U.S. Citizen,

journalist, and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps; and

encourages the Executive Branch to take further actions aimed

at bringing about Mr. Tice's immediate and safe return.

Certain provisions in the resolution fall within the

jurisdiction of the House Permanent Select Committee on

Intelligence (HPSCI), as set forth in Rule X of the House of

Representatives for the 116th Congress.

In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed

expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill,

I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential

referral. By waiving consideration of \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17), HPSCI does

not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subjects

contained in the bill which fall within HPSCI's Rule X

jurisdiction. I also ask that our exchange of letters be

included in the Congressional Record during consideration of

the measure on the House floor.

I continue to be grateful for our committees' longstanding

cooperation, both regarding this matter and others. And I

continue to strongly support this and other efforts to secure

Mr. Tice's immediate and safe return to the United States.

Sincerely,

Adam B. Schiff,

Chairman.

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

House of Representatives,

Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC, November 23, 2020.

Hon. Adam B. Schiff,

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Schiff: I am writing to you concerning \[H.

Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17), expressing concern over the detention of Austin

Tice, and for other purposes. I appreciate your willingness

to work cooperatively on this legislation.

I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the

jurisdiction of the House Permanent Select Committee on

Intelligence under House Rule X, and that your Committee will

forgo action on \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17) to expedite floor consideration. I

further acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with

respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional

claim over the matters contained in the bill that fall within

your jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence conferees

during any House-Senate conference convened on this

legislation.

Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is

included in the Congressional Record during floor

consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your

cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to

continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the

legislative process.

Sincerely,

Eliot L. Engel,

Chairman.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

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Mr. Speaker, 3,034 days. That is how long Austin Tice, a former U.S.

marine and freelance journalist, has been held captive in Syria. It is

far past time that he be returned home to his family in Houston.

Austin has dedicated his life to his country and to serving others.

After serving 10 years in the United States Marine Corps, Austin

decided to enroll in law school. He wanted to continue helping those

who needed help the most. While he was attending Georgetown Law, just

down the street from here, he couldn't stop thinking about what he had

seen and the people he had met on his tours in the Middle East.

So, before beginning his final year of law school, Austin decided to

return to the Middle East. Only this time, it would be to report on the

atrocities happening in Syria.

The Assad regime's brutal attacks on its own people were horrifying

to hear about. They were even using chemical weapons on their own

people.

Unfortunately, there weren't enough reporters on the ground in Syria

to verify their crimes or tell the world about the suffering of the

Syrian people. So, Austin did what he has always done. He stepped up to

the plate and filled a much-needed void in a very dangerous place in

order to help those who could not help themselves.

But then, on August 14, 2012, as he was preparing to return home,

Austin was captured at a checkpoint in Damascus. Now, more than 8 years

later, he is still being held in Syria. Austin is now entering his

ninth year of captivity. In just a matter of months, he will turn 40

years old.

Mr. Speaker, that is nine birthdays that he will have missed back

home, nine Thanksgiving dinners without his family. Later this month,

it will be nine Christmases that his family has had to endure without

him.

I have met Austin's parents many times, and it is very tragic and

emotional. Each time, I see the pain in their eyes as they describe

their tireless efforts to bring him home. That is a pain that only

parents can truly understand.

It is up to us here in this Chamber to show the Tice family that we

will not tolerate this for another year. Austin deserves to have his

life back, and his family deserves to have him back.

Mr. Speaker, with this resolution, we once again urge the

administration to continue working to bring Austin home. The State

Department should use all the tools at its disposal to ensure his safe

and immediate return.

Congress will not rest, and I will not rest, and my colleague,

Congressman Green, will not rest until Austin and the other American

hostages detained abroad have been safely reunited with their families.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and colleague, Congressman Al

Green, for his introduction of this bill. The Tice family are his

constituents. He has stood by them day in and day out over the past

years. He and I, working together with other Members in this Chamber,

will bring Austin home, finally.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas

(Mr. Green), the author of this important resolution.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairperson of the

committee, Mr. Engel, and the ranking member of the committee, Mr.

McCaul, for supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am on a mission of mercy. I have been on a mission of

mercy for 8 years because it has been more than 8 years now that Austin

Tice has been detained in Syria. Eight years it has been. That is also

how long this family has been grieving.

I, too, know the Tice family. I have met with them multiple times and

talked with them multiple times today, in fact.

I am grateful to many people who have made it possible for this

resolution to come to the floor, so I think it important that I

immediately thank them.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Speaker Pelosi because I talked to her

personally about the Tice situation. I thank Majority Leader Hoyer; I

had a conversation with him. I want to thank Congressman Hill for his

steadfast resolve to not only help Austin but to help Dr. Kamalmaz, his

constituent.

Again, Chairman Engel has been stellar, superb, and supreme in

allowing this to come to the floor. Mr. McCaul has been a great

partner. He has demonstrated the kind of bipartisanship that the public

expects from us on issues such as these. Of course, I thank the 41

cosponsors of this legislation.

Finally, I thank the Tice family for having the courage, the

strength, the intestinal fortitude to stay with it. Never one time have

they given up on the belief that their son, their eldest son, can be

returned home to them.

Who was Austin Tice? Well, he loved his country. He loved his

country. He went to the Marines. He was a Marine captain, a veteran

Marine captain. He is such. He played by the rules. At 16 years of age,

he was in college. He received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown

University School of Foreign Services. He played by the rules.

He went on to get an opportunity to help others. He believed in

helping other people. This is why he went to Syria.

He went to those places where few of us would dare to go, and he went

because he wanted the world to know what is happening in these distant

places. And while he was there, he went missing. A month after he was

not heard from, a 43-second video emerged with the title \\\`\\\`Austin Tice

is Alive.''

We know that he is alive. We want him back alive. We are asking all

who can be of service to do so.

The President has weighed in. He has sent the Tice family a message

indicating that he is going to work hard to bring Austin home.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution today is another step in the direction

of bringing Austin Tice home. He is a great American. He has played by

the rules. He is the kind of son that any one of us would want to have

and the kind of son that Debra and Marc Tice are blessed to have. But

their blessing should not end with having a son; their blessing should

end with having their son with them.

Again, I thank all who have played a role in getting this resolution

to the floor.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from

Arkansas (Mr. Hill), whose constituent is Majd Kamalmaz.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. McCaul, for

the time and take a moment to salute and provide tribute to Congressman

Eliot Engel for his extraordinary service as chair of the House Foreign

Affairs Committee. His wise counsel will be missed in this House.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank, too, my good friend on the House Financial

Services Committee, a colleague and collaborator on many good things,

my friend, Congressman Al Green from Houston, for his service and

leadership on this important matter.

Austin Bennett Tice, an international correspondent in Syria and a

Marine veteran who we have heard about today, has been missing since

2012. And my constituent, Dr. Majd Kamalmaz, a noted child therapist

who was in Syria attending the funeral of a relative, has been missing

since 2017.

These families deserve certainty and recovery of their loved ones,

Mr. Speaker. Both Mr. Tice and Dr. Kamalmaz have called on American and

international leaders to bring home their loved ones.

It is our duty to do whatever we can to ensure that these and all

other Americans held abroad are returned safely and as soon as

possible.

I am grateful for the leadership of President Trump and now National

Security Advisor and former Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Robert

O'Brien for their steadfast determination to bring American citizens

home.

Our work will not be complete until all Americans are reunited with

their families and their loved ones.

We ask for God's blessings on this House floor for those held in

captivity and for their loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, I vote in favor, and I urge my colleagues to vote in

favor of this important legislation. Let's pull together in this House

to bring home our American hostages.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas

(Mr. Green), the author of this important resolution.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on an issue such as this, no one

should

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be left behind who has played a role in helping with this cause. We

have mentioned that it is bipartisan, but it is also bicameral.

Senators Cruz and Cornyn have played a role in helping us to get this

message to the world. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank them, the 41 Members

who signed on, and all others who signed on to a letter that we sent to

the President.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to say these words of

gratitude and thanks.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from

Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, the story of Austin Tice's disappearance

and presumed imprisonment is tragic and frustrating.

I met with Austin's loving parents, Marc and Debra, last year in my

office, where they told me about the heartbreaking details of his

abduction in 2012 at a checkpoint near Damascus on his way to Beirut.

Hearing about Austin, I knew I had to do what I could to try and

help, just like these other Members who have spoken earlier. So, with

the Tices sitting in my office, I called upon the help of my Syrian-

American friend and constituent, Paul Jallo. I put Mr. Jallo on

speakerphone as we brainstormed with Marc and Debra as to how we could

navigate the treachery of this situation on the ground in Syria.

{time} 1645

Paul vowed to enlist the assistance of his family and friends living

in Damascus to try and garner critical information as to Austin's

current location and the identity of his captors. I cannot thank and

commend Paul enough for his continued efforts to help the Tices in this

ongoing endeavor to determine the status of Austin's well-being.

We are frustrated, Mr. Speaker, that we still can't confirm with any

degree of certainty Austin's captors, though we believe that Syrian

President al-Assad's government has within its power and influence to

see to Austin's release, despite denials of detaining him.

This is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. Austin was not a combatant, not a

threat to al-Assad's regime, and yet he had to endure the terrible fate

of imprisonment without acknowledgment. Austin, who proudly served our

country as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, deserves

better, and his parents, Marc and Deborah Tice, who have tirelessly

fought for answers, deserve better.

Today we are going to send a message to the Syrian Government that

the United States of America has not forgotten about Austin Tice and

that we will not give up on him.

Today we are here, and we are going to stand up and fight for someone

who put himself in the face of danger to make sure that we always knew

the truth of what went on in Syria and continues to go on.

Please join me in supporting this resolution and sending a powerful

message.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Eliot Engel, Representatives Green,

Bilirakis, French Hill, and so many of my other colleagues on both

sides of the aisle for supporting this important measure.

Austin Tice dedicated his life to service. From his time in the

Marine Corps to his reporting on the brutal civil war and humanitarian

crisis in Syria, he lived to improve the lives of others.

Think about it: Austin went to Syria to document some of the most

brutal crimes against humanity so the world would see it, to expose

what Assad has done to his own people to the world, and the price he

had to pay for that is to be put into a Syrian prison.

It is far past time that we repay Austin for his service, not only to

our country, but to the world to expose these war crimes, to expose

what was happening over there, and the courage he had to go over there

to photograph. By bringing him home to his friends and his family, that

is the way we pay him back. We have to use every tool at our disposal

within the United States Government to bring him home to his family.

Again, I want to thank all those involved, and in particular,

Congressman Green, who represents the family, whom we have talked to

extensively.

This is one of those measures that is really an emotional one from

the heart because we are talking about the life of a patriot who is

trapped in a very bad prison in Syria overseas and cannot get out, and

it has been 8 years--8 years, for God's sake, Mr. Speaker. It is time

to bring Austin home.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the

purpose of closing.

Today's resolution calls for the immediate release of American

citizens Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz, who have been unjustly held in

Syria. It is time the Assad regime heeds our calls and works with the

U.S. Government to secure their return home.

I have been a critic of the Assad regime in all the years I have been

in Congress, which is 32 years. The Assad regime has been brutal with

its own people, has murdered so many of its own people, and I know that

Mr. McCaul will remember not so long ago, on the Foreign Affairs

Committee, someone smuggled in a bunch of photographs that were taken

in Syrian prisons. They were horrific and reminded one of the 1930s and

1940s with the genocide in Europe.

It is time the Assad regime heeds our calls and works with the U.S.

Government to secure the prisoners' release home. The immediate release

of American citizens Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz is very important to

us.

As you have heard, they have been unjustly held in Syria, and we are

not going to let it go. We are not going to stop until they are

released. It is the right thing to do, and it is the only thing that we

can do.

I again thank Congressman Green for introducing this bipartisan

resolution. I thank Mr. McCaul for working with us on this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor, a mother, and a senior

member of the House Judiciary Committee, I rise in strong support of

this bipartisan resolution, \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17), \\\`\\\`Expressing Concern Over the

Detention of Austin Tice, and for other purposes.''

In May of 2012, the summer before Austin's final year at Georgetown

Law School, he chose to go to Syria as a freelance journalist to cover

the country's civil war.

Austin felt compelled to tell the story of the horrific and ongoing

conflict there as well as its impact on the people of Syria.

On August 14, 2012, Austin departed from the town of Darayya, a

suburb of Damascus, to travel to Lebanon, but shortly after leaving, he

was detained at a Syrian check point.

Five weeks later, a 43-second video emerged online with the title,

\\\`\\\`Austin Tice is Alive'', showing Austin being held by a group of

unidentified men with assault rifles, but there was no other message

that accompanied the video.

Even still today, no group has claimed responsibility for his capture

nor have there been any demands in exchange for his release.

Austin Tice was not a combatant.

He was simply a young man doing his job, yet he has, without a doubt,

had to suffer unimaginable ordeals and face the dangers of conflict,

hostile governments, and rapacious bandits while reporting on the

Syrian civil war.

My heart goes out to Austin's parents, Debra and Marc Tice, as well

as the rest of his family and loved ones for the pain and uncertainty

that they have had to endure for over eight years.

Eight years.

Mr. Speaker, that is over 2,920 days that Austin's mother has had to

go without hearing his voice, holding his hand, or seeing his face.

Austin was born and raised in my hometown, Houston, Texas.

He is the oldest of seven siblings, a former U.S. Marine, and his

lifelong dream was to become an international correspondent for NPR.

It is no secret that the risk of arrest, abduction, or death make

journalism extremely dangerous and difficult in Syria.

In fact, according to Reporters Without Borders, Syria is ranked

174th out of 180 countries in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

In 2020 alone, Reporters Without Borders has documented the killings

of 40 journalists and 3 media assistants as well as the imprisonment of

260 journalists, 122 citizen journalists, and 12 media assistants in

Syria.

Last year, I joined 122 Members of the House of Representatives and

over 50 Senators in a bipartisan letter to the President, demanding

that his Administration act to facilitate Austin's release from Syria.

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With that letter and this resolution, I am once again calling on the

Department of State, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for

Hostage Affairs, and other U.S. government entities to engage with

Syria for the purpose of securing Austin's safe release.

From serving in Afghanistan and Iraq as a Marine to working as a

journalist dedicated to delivering vital news to the American people,

Austin Tice spent his life giving back and showing up for this country.

Now we need to do the same for him and bring him home.

I am honored to be a leader on this resolution, and I wish to thank

my colleague and good friend from Texas, Representative Al Green, for

his leadership on this resolution.

I urge all Members on both sides of the aisle to join me in voting

for \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17), \\\`\\\`Expressing Concern over the Detention of Austin Tice,

and for other purposes.''

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the

gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules

and agree to the resolution, \[H. Res. 17\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/17), as amended.

The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the

rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.

The title of the resolution was amended so as to read: \\\`\\\`A resolution

expressing concern over the detention of Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz,

and for other purposes.''.

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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