American Bipartisan Support for Yousef Nadarkhani

Major Bipartisan Support in Congress for Pastor Youcef

By
Jordan Sekulow

11:56 AMOct. 7, 2011

There is a major development today in the fight to put pressure on Iran for Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s release. Congressmen Joe Pitts (PA-16) and Heath Shuler (NC-11) are leading a bipartisan effort to save Pastor Youcef. They are sending a letter to Secretary of State Clinton calling on her to “use all the powers at your disposal” for “swift engagement with the international community to advocate for his release.”

This letter is still gaining signatures from Members of Congress. Currently, thirty-nine Members of Congress, including thirteen Democrats, have signed on to this letter, and that number continues to grow by the hour. Of critical importance, one of the early signatories for this letter is Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-5) – the first Muslim elected to Congress.

An early draft of the letter provided to the ACLJ states:

We implore you to raise your voice at this critical juncture on behalf of Pastor Nadarkhani. We must not stand by while the Iranian Regime executes a man who has committed no crime.

We will continue to update you as Congressional support for this important letter grows. The following is the most current list of Members of Congress who have signed on to this letter.  Representatives:

• Joe Pitts (PA-16)
• Heath Shuler (NC-11)
• Alcee Hastings (FL-23)
• Sue Myrick (NC-9)
• Chris Smith (NJ-4)
• Frank Wolf (VA-10)
• Jim McGovern (MA-3)
• Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)
• Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
• Joe Crowley (NY-7)
• Robert Aderholt (AL-4)
• Jim Moran (VA-8)
• Keith Ellison (MN-5)
• John Duncan (TN-2)
• Rob Bishop (UT-1)
• Eni Faleomavaega (American Samoa)
• Tim Huelskamp (KS-1)
• Jeff Duncan (SC-3)
• Dennis Ross (FL-12)
• Steve King (IA-5)
• Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25)
• Randy Hultgren (IL-14)
• Renee Ellmers (SC-2)
• Mike Kelly (PA-3)
• John Culberson (TX-7)
• Louie Gohmert (TX-1)
• John R. Carter (TX-31)
• James Lankford (OK-5)
• John Conyers (MI-14)
• Steve Pearce (NM-2)
• Bill Posey (FL-15)
• Tim Walberg (MI-7)
• Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
• Julia Carson (IN-7)
• John Olver (MA-1)
• Donald Manzullo (IL-16)
• Jean Schmidt (OH-2)
• Steve Cohen (TN-9)
• Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11)

Please join these Members of Congress in calling for Secretary of State Clinton to put pressure on Iran to release Pastor Youcef by signing our critical petition, and contacting your Member of Congress to urge them to sign on to the Pitts/Shuler letter