[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 177 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 177

   Recognizing and commending the members of the United States Armed 
Forces and their leaders, and the allies of the United States and their 
    armed forces, who participated in Operation Enduring Freedom in 
  Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and recognizing the 
 continuing dedication of military families and employers and defense 
 civilians and contractors and the countless communities and patriotic 
organizations that lent their support to the Armed Forces during those 
                              operations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 13, 2003

 Mr. Hunter (for himself, Mr. Skelton, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Bradley of New 
Hampshire, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Weldon 
 of Pennsylvania, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Gingrey, 
   Mr. McKeon, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. 
   Schrock, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Reyes, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of 
   Virginia, Mr. Akin, Mr. Kline, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Thornberry, Mr. 
Everett, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Gibbons, 
  Mr. Saxton, Mr. Turner of Ohio, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, and Mr. 
   McHugh) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the 
 Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing and commending the members of the United States Armed 
Forces and their leaders, and the allies of the United States and their 
    armed forces, who participated in Operation Enduring Freedom in 
  Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and recognizing the 
 continuing dedication of military families and employers and defense 
 civilians and contractors and the countless communities and patriotic 
organizations that lent their support to the Armed Forces during those 
                              operations.

Whereas the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, which 
        killed thousands of people from the United States and other countries in 
        New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, inaugurated the Global War on 
        Terrorism;
Whereas the intelligence community quickly identified Al Qaeda as a terrorist 
        organization with global reach and the President determined that United 
        States national security required the elimination of the Al Qaeda 
        terrorist organization;
Whereas the Taliban regime of Afghanistan had long harbored Al Qaeda, providing 
        members of that organization a safe haven from which to attack the 
        United States and its friends and allies, and that regime's refusal to 
        discontinue its support for international terrorism and surrender Al 
        Qaeda's leaders to the United States made it a threat to international 
        peace and security;
Whereas Saddam Hussein and his regime's longstanding sponsorship of 
        international terrorism, active pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, 
        use of such weapons against Iraq's own citizens and neighboring 
        countries, aggression against Iraq's neighbors, and brutal repression of 
        Iraq's population made Saddam Hussein and his regime a threat to 
        international peace and security;
Whereas the United States pursued sustained diplomatic, political, and economic 
        efforts to remove those threats peacefully;
Whereas on October 7, 2001, the Armed Forces of the United States and its 
        coalition allies launched military operations in Afghanistan, designated 
        as Operation Enduring Freedom, that quickly caused the collapse of the 
        Taliban regime, the elimination of Afghanistan's terrorist 
        infrastructure, and the capture of significant and numerous members of 
        Al Qaeda;
Whereas on March 19, 2003, the Armed Forces of the United States and its 
        coalition allies launched military operations, designated as Operation 
        Iraqi Freedom, that quickly caused the collapse of Saddam Hussein's 
        regime, the elimination of Iraq's terrorist infrastructure, the end of 
        Iraq's illicit and illegal programs to acquire weapons of mass 
        destruction, and the capture of significant international terrorists;
Whereas in those two campaigns in the Global War on Terrorism, nearly 330,000 
        members of the United States Armed Forces, comprised of active, reserve, 
        and National Guard members and units, deployed for Operation Enduring 
        Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas some 224,500 Reserve and National Guard members of the Armed Forces were 
        called to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas in the conduct of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom, 67 military servicemembers and other United States personnel 
        gave their lives in Afghanistan and 140 were lost in Iraq, while over 
        700 were wounded and 7 were held as prisoners of war;
Whereas success in those two campaigns in the Global War on Terrorism would not 
        have been possible without the dedication, courage, and service of the 
        members of the United States Armed Forces and the military and irregular 
        forces of the friends and allies of the United States;
Whereas the support, love, and commitment from the families of United States 
        service personnel participating in those two operations, as well as the 
        communities and patriotic organizations whose support, through the 
        United Services Organization (USO), Operation Dear Abby, and Operation 
        UpLink, helped to sustain those service personnel and enabled them to 
        eliminate significant threats to United States national security while 
        liberating oppressed peoples from dictatorial regimes;
Whereas the civilian employees of the Department of Defense, through their hard 
        work and dedication, enabled United States military forces to quickly 
        and effectively achieve the United States military missions in 
        Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas the commitment of companies making their employees available for 
        military service, the creativity and initiative of contractors equipping 
        the Nation's Armed Forces with the best and most modern equipment, and 
        the ingenuity of service companies assisting with the global overseas 
        deployment of the Armed Forces demonstrates that the entrepreneurial 
        spirit of the United States is an extraordinarily valuable defense 
        asset; and
Whereas the Nation should pause to recognize with appropriate tributes and days 
        of remembrance the sacrifice of those members of the Armed Forces who 
        died or were wounded in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom, as well as all who served in or supported either of those 
        operations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) commends President Bush, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, 
        and United States Central Command commander General Franks, 
        United States Army, for their planning and execution of 
        enormously successful military campaigns in Operation Enduring 
        Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom;
            (2) expresses its highest commendation and most sincere 
        appreciation to the members of the United States Armed Forces 
        who participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation 
        Iraqi Freedom, including the members of the organizational 
        elements specified in section 2 of this resolution;
            (3) commends the Department of Defense civilian employees, 
        the civilian contractors, and the defense contractor personnel 
        whose skills made possible the equipping of the greatest Armed 
        Force in the annals of modern military endeavor;
            (4) conveys its deepest sympathy and condolences to the 
        families and friends of the members of United States and 
        coalition forces who have been injured, wounded, or killed 
        during those operations;
            (5) calls upon communities across the Nation--
                    (A) to prepare appropriate homecoming ceremonies to 
                honor and welcome home the members of the Armed Forces 
                participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and 
                Operation Iraqi Freedom and to recognize their 
                contributions to United States homeland security and to 
                the Global War on Terrorism; and
                    (B) to prepare appropriate ceremonies to 
                commemorate with tributes and days of remembrance the 
                service and sacrifice of those servicemembers killed or 
                wounded during either of those Operations;
            (6) expresses the deep gratitude of the Nation to the 21 
        steadfast allies in Operation Enduring Freedom and to the 49 
        coalition members in Operation Iraqi Freedom, especially the 
        United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland, whose forces, support, 
        and contributions were invaluable and unforgettable; and
            (7) recommits the United States to ensuring the safety of 
        the United States homeland, to preventing weapons of mass 
        destruction from reaching the hands of terrorists, and to 
        helping the people of Iraq and Afghanistan build free and 
        vibrant democratic societies.
    Sec. 2. (a) Operation Iraqi Freedom.--The organizational elements 
of the Armed Forces referred to in paragraph (2) of the first section 
of this resolution which participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom are 
the following:
            (1) From the Army--
                    (A) Army Forces Central Command--3rd United States 
                Army.
                    (B) V Corps Command Element.
                    (C) 3rd Infantry Division.
                    (D) 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
                    (E) 82nd Airborne Division (-).
                    (F) 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized).
                    (G) Elements of the 1st Infantry Division, 10th 
                Mountain Division, and 1st Armored Division.
                    (H) 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
                    (I) 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
                    (J) 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sep).
                    (K) 11th Aviation Group.
            (2) From the Marine Corps--
                    (A) Marine Forces Central Command.
                    (B) 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
                    (C) 1st Marine Division.
                    (D) 3rd Marine Air Wing.
                    (E) 1st Force Service Support Group.
                    (F) 2nd Force Service Support Group/Marine 
                Logistics Command.
                    (G) 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Task Force 
                Tarawa).
                    (H) 15th, 24th, and 26th Marine Expeditionary 
                Units.
            (3) From the Navy--
                    (A) Naval Forces Central Command--United States 5th 
                Fleet.
                    (B) Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Force.
                    (C) Nimitz Carrier Strike Force.
                    (D) Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Force.
                    (E) Constellation Carrier Strike Force.
                    (F) Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Force.
                    (G) Harry S Truman Carrier Strike Force.
                    (H) Amphibious Task Force East.
                    (I) Amphibious Task Force West.
                    (J) Nassau Amphibious Ready Group.
                    (K) Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group.
                    (L) Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group.
                    (M) Amphibious Group 3.
                    (N) Maritime Prepositioning Squadrons 1, 2, and 4.
            (4) From the Air Force--
                    (A) Air Forces Central Command--9th Air Force.
                    (B) 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force.
                    (C) 39th Air and Space Expeditionary Wing.
                    (D) 332d Air Expeditionary Group.
                    (E) 386th Air Expeditionary Group.
                    (F) 409th Air Expeditionary Group.
                    (G) 401st Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (H) 457th Air Expeditionary Group.
            (5) From the United States Special Operations Command--
                    (A) Special Operations Command Central.
                    (B) 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (C) 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (D) 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (E) 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
                    (F) 75th Ranger Regiment.
                    (G) 352nd Civil Affairs Command.
                    (H) 350th Civil Affairs Command.
                    (I) 308th Civil Affairs Brigade.
                    (J) 358th Civil Affairs Brigade.
                    (K) 304th Civil Affairs Brigade.
                    (L) Naval Special Warfare Group One.
                    (M) Naval Special Warfare Group Three.
                    (N) 16th Special Operations Wing.
                    (O) 919th Special Operations Wing.
                    (P) 193rd Special Operations Wing.
                    (Q) 720th Special Operations Group.
                    (R) 352nd Special Operations Group.
                    (S) 123rd Special Tactics Squadron.
                    (T) 280th Command Control Squadron.
    (b) Operation Enduring Freedom.--The organizational elements of the 
Armed Forces referred to in paragraph (2) of the first section of this 
resolution which participated in Operation Enduring Freedom are the 
following:
            (1) From the Army--
                    (A) Army Forces Central Command.
                    (B) Combined Joint Task Force 180.
                    (C) 10th Mountain Division.
                    (D) 101st Airborne Division (-).
                    (E) 82d Airborne Division (-).
            (2) From the Marine Corps--
                    (A) Marine Forces Central Command.
                    (B) Commander Joint Task Force--Horn of Africa.
                    (C) Combined Joint Task Force 58.
                    (D) 11th, 13th, 15th, 22nd, and 26th Marine 
                Expeditionary Units.
                    (E) Detachments, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
            (3) From the Navy--
                    (A) Navy Forces Central Command--U.S. 5th Fleet.
                    (B) Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Force.
                    (C) Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Force.
                    (D) Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Force.
                    (E) Enterprise Carrier Strike Force.
                    (F) Vinson Carrier Strike Force.
                    (G) Stennis Carrier Strike Force.
                    (H) Kennedy Carrier Strike Force.
                    (I) George Washington Carrier Strike Force.
                    (J) Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group.
                    (K) Bataan Amphibious Ready Group.
                    (L) Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group.
                    (M) Wasp Amphibious Ready Group.
            (4) From the Air Force--
                    (A) Air Forces Central Command--9th Air Force.
                    (B) 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (C) 366th Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (D) 379th Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (E) 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (F) 405th Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (G) 376th Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (H) 40th Air Expeditionary Wing.
                    (I) 28th Air Expeditionary Wing.
            (5) From the United States Special Operations Command--
                    (A) Special Operations Command Central.
                    (B) 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (C) 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (D) 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (E) 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
                    (F) 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group 
                (Airborne).
                    (G) 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
                    (H) 75th Ranger Regiment.
                    (I) 350th Civil Affairs Command.
                    (J) 403rd Civil Affairs Brigade.
                    (K) 360th Civil Affairs Brigade.
                    (L) 354th Civil Affairs Brigade.
                    (M) 310th Pysop Brigade.
                    (N) Naval Special Warfare Group One.
                    (O) Naval Special Warfare Group Three.
                    (P) 16th Special Operations Wing.
                    (Q) 352nd Special Operations Group.
                    (R) 919th Special Operations Wing.
                    (S) 193rd Special Operations Wing.
                    (T) 720th Special Operations Group.
                    (U) 123th Special Tactics Squadron.
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