{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140919110401/http://dankildee.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-by-congressman-dan-kildee-on-president-obama-s-call-with", "Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on President Obama\u2019s Call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani", "2013-09-30", "2013", "2013-09", "Democrat", "House", "MI", "Dan Kildee", "K000380", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) issued the following statement today after President Barack Obama spoke with President Hassan Rouhani by telephone and raised the case of\u00a0the three\u00a0Americans\u00a0being held\u00a0in Iran, including Amir Hekmati, Congressman Kildee\u2019s constituent, who has been\u00a0unjustly\u00a0held for over two years\u00a0on false charges:\n\u201cI appreciate President Obama raising the case of my constituent, Amir Hekmati, who has been\u00a0unjustly\u00a0held in Iran for now over two years, with President Rouhani\u00a0during the first conversation between the leaders of our two countries in 34 years.\u00a0Even before this significant event, recent overtures from Iran have led to restrained optimism that it seeks to improve its\u00a0diplomatic\u00a0relationship with the United States and global community.\u00a0Iran, however, must demonstrate it is serious about engaging the global community by taking tangible actions that\u00a0demonstrate to the American people and Congress that\u00a0it is\u00a0serious about diplomacy.\u00a0Amir\u2019s father is terminally ill and releasing him to care for his family as the eldest son would be a significant humanitarian gesture that Iran is serious about constructively rejoining the international community.\n\u201cThis week, a bipartisan congressional delegation joined my ongoing efforts to raise Amir\u2019s case as the Iranian delegation was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Over 80 Members of Congress \u2013 from Democrat John Lewis to Republican Darrell Issa \u2013 have joined the growing campaign calling for Amir\u2019s release. The bipartisan nature of our efforts \u2013 especially in a time with such polarizing, partisan gridlock in Washington \u2013 has been overwhelming, and clearly demonstrates freeing Amir is a top priority\u00a0for Congress as well as the American people.\n\u201cI am confident that the resounding message from Congress and the American people this week to free Amir was heard by President Rouhani as he was in New York. And now, more than ever, I am hopeful that Iran will release Amir so he can be reunited with his family in Michigan. Until then, I will continue to fight every day and use my position as a Member of Congress to\u00a0advocate for\u00a0Amir\u2019s\u00a0release.\u201d\nSince being sworn into Congress, Congressman Dan Kildee has been working tirelessly to secure the release of his constituent, Amir Hekmati, from prison in Iran. In July, Congressman Kildee wrote a letter, signed by 112 Members of Congress, calling on U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to prioritize Amir\u2019s release from Iran. Earlier this month, he also penned a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, asking her to raise Amir\u2019s case with her diplomatic colleagues at the U.N.\nIn his latest efforts, Congressman Kildee organized over 80 Members of Congress \u2013 Democrats and Republicans \u2013 to take photos with \u201cFree Amir\u201d signs. The photos, which were released through social media with the hashtag #FreeAmir, generated thousands of tweets and substantial media coverage during the U.N. General Assembly meeting. All of the photos can be viewed here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140919110401/http://dankildee.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-by-congressman-dan-kildee-on-president-obama-s-call-with"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.743959030136466, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}