The families of four Americans being held in Iran on Tuesday urged the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to get their relatives released.
The families' pleas are seen as more significant as the United States and Iran face a June 30 deadline in their nuclear negotiations. Some think Iran is holding the Americans as bargaining chips in the talks.
"I think we had a constructive hearing this morning and we want to make sure it's not forgotten," Dan Levinson, son of former FBI agent Bob Levinson, told Fox News Channel's "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren."
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The 67-year-old Levinson has been held the longest, about four-and-a-half years, and suffers from several medical conditions.
"This is crunch time," his son told Van Susteren.
Nagameh Abedini, wife of Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been held since 2012, said it gets harder for the families to cope as time passes.
"This is an easy thing for them to do," Nagameh Abedini said of Congress. "They are not aggressive enough to demand the release of the Americans before further discussions. I hope this is the last year that all of our families have to continue to live in this nightmare.
Rep. Dan Kildee, Michigan Democrat, has introduced a resolution saying Iran needs to release the men before it can be accepted into the global community.
"It passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and we hope Congress will do the same soon," Kildee told Van Susteren.
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The other two Americans being held are Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian and former Marine Amir Hekmati.