“Mr. President, 36 years ago today, 53 Americans in the American embassy in Tehran were captured, beaten, held hostage and tortured. As I speak on the floor of the United States Senate today, in the streets of downtown Tehran, Iranian people are marching in the streets, burning American flags, yelling ‘Death to America!’ and celebrating the capture of our citizens 36 years ago today.

“From the moment of their release in January of 1981, they have been promised justice and compensation. But, Mr. President, five administrations and 17 Congresses have gone by, and there has been no justice and there has been no compensation.

“Unfortunately, cynicism has set in, and the remaining 38 of the 53 who were originally held hostage wonder when their justice is coming. Many have suffered, one a former C.I.A. Agent committed suicide. Another attempted suicide. Many families have been torn apart and asunder by PTSD and other ramifications of torture and capture. It is a sad chapter in the history of our country at the hands of a tyrannical dictatorship in Iran.

“Don't just take my word for it. Let me read you the words of two American citizens who were taken hostage in Tehran 36 years ago.

“William Daugherty from Savannah, Ga., said the following: ‘I'd like to remind the Congress that the corporations and banks have long received their compensation in whatever form it took. I'd like to remind the Congress that the Carter administration intended for us to be compensated, they told us they would be, and today is pretty much now or never for many of us.’

“Or Joe Hall of Lenox, Ga., who told me, ‘35 years after our release from confinement, one fourth of our group have passed away. Those who remain are aging, ailing and frustrated. Yet they remain loyal, law-abiding and patriotic; the very characteristic they took to Iran with them when they set forward to serve their country so many years ago.’

“Mr. President, four years ago, I introduced the Justice for Former American Hostages in Iran Act. To this date, it has been supported by every member of the Senate and the House that I have talked to. Minority Leader Harry Reid came to me just the other day seeking help to make sure we get this bill passed. Senator Ben Cardin, the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, the members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Everyone I have talked to says ‘Yes, it’s right for us to do this.’

“These are the only American hostages ever held, captured and never paid recompense for the tragedy they suffered.

“It's time for America to act now. While the Iranians celebrate in the streets and burn our flag and say ‘death to America,’ we should say to the survivors of the Iranian hostage crisis ‘We’re going to see to it you get the compensation and the justice that you deserve.’ In the weeks ahead before this year ends, I am going to be coming to each member of the Senate, we'll go to each member of the House to find whatever we can, whatever vehicle necessary to get that authorization out of Congress and in the hands of the administration and the Justice Department so each and every one of those survivors can be compensated because they deserve it. They risked their life for the United States of America just like every State Department employee and every ambassador does around the world. We never need our State Department employees or our ambassadors to think one day America might look the other way if they are ever captured or taken hostage.

“I appeal to my colleagues in the Senate, to the House, and I appeal to all the people of the United States of America. Let's come together and see to it those remaining hostages are compensated for the horror and the terror they endured. While the Iranians celebrate in the streets on the anniversary of the horror they administered and the capture they did, let’s celebrate in the streets for the Americans who were harmed and endangered, we as congressmen came forward and we as members of the Senate came forward to see to it their justice was received, their compensation received and we did what America always does: Stand by our citizens who went in harm's way to protect our country.”