A concurrent resolution honoring the Iranian protesters passed in the House by a vote of 420-1. The lone no vote was Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY).

The resolution commends the “bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran demonstrating in more than 13 cities and risking their safety to speak out against the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses.” The resolution further declares that Congress condemns “the brutal beating and death of Mahsa Amini” and “the violent suppression by the Iranian regime of women and men participating in the current demonstrations, including children, and calls for transparent accountability for all killings of protesters by Iranian security forces.”

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, was arrested, beaten, and jailed by the morality police for improperly wearing a headscarf. She was deemed to be improperly dressed in public. A coroner’s report said she died of multiple organ failure. Her family said that witnesses say she was beaten by officers.

Protests broke out after the death of Amini in September. They continue today, though there are reports that the anti-regime protests have become less frequent since the police have increased their brutality against the protesters. The regime is now hanging protesters from cranes and leaving their lifeless bodies to dangle in the air to intimidate the people.

The resolution also lists instances of “persecution of women” by the Iranian regime “through misogynistic criminal statutes.”

The resolution also expresses support for those participating in protests and “risking their safety to speak out against the human rights abuses committed by the Iranian regime.”

Additionally, it “encourages continued efforts by the Biden Administration to respond to the protests,” including sanctions against the Iranian morality police.

A fresh round of sanctions against the Iranian regime was levied this week. The sanctions were coordinated with the E.U. and Britain. Unfortunately, the regime is resilient and has been able to continue despite sanctions. I’d like to think, for the sake of the brave protesters risking their lives for basic human rights, that this uprising of protests will be the one to overthrow the regime, but it doesn’t look like that will happen.

As I write this, Rep. Massie has not commented on why he was the lone no vote against the resolution.

The Kentucky Republican has on several occasions broken from his party on foreign policy measures. In 2018, he was one of two lawmakers to vote against a resolution supporting the rights of Iranians to freely express themselves. It also condemned the regime for cracking down on protests.

What does Massie have against freedom for the Iranian people?

Others in the House praised the passage of the resolution.

“Iran is the world’s leading state-sponsor of terror. We must stand with the brave people of Iran as they fight back against the oppressive Iranian regime and their human rights abuses,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), who co-led the resolution, wrote in a statement. “With this bipartisan resolution passing the House today, we’re making clear that we support those brave individuals committed to freedom and human rights, both in Iran and around the world.”

Rep. Michael McCaul, (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee also released a statement.

“I am proud that our bipartisan resolution has again overwhelmingly passed the House today. This resolution strongly reaffirms the American people’s support for the brave Iranian people speaking out against the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses,” he wrote in a statement.

“As the regime continues to escalate its violent crackdown, we must continue to do all we can to support the Iranian people’s right to self-determination and ensure the regime is held to account for its crimes. That means no sanctions relief for the regime, and fully enforcing all of our existing sanctions,” he added.

The resolution was first introduced in the last Congress by several Republican and Democratic lawmakers and was revived earlier this month.