[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 184 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 184

  Recognizing a National Week of Hope in commemoration of the 10-year 
         anniversary of the terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 5, 2005

Mr. Istook (for himself, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Cole of Oklahoma, Mr. Sullivan, 
 and Mr. Boren) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing a National Week of Hope in commemoration of the 10-year 
         anniversary of the terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City.

Whereas on April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m. central daylight time in Oklahoma City, 
        Oklahoma, America was attacked in one of the worst terrorist attacks on 
        American soil, killing 168 and injuring more than 850 Americans;
Whereas this dastardly act of domestic terrorism affected thousands of families 
        and horrified millions of people across the State of Oklahoma and the 
        United States;
Whereas the people of Oklahoma and the United States responded to this tragedy 
        through the remarkable efforts of local, State, and Federal law 
        enforcement, fire, and emergency services, search and rescue teams from 
        across the United States, public and private medical personnel, and 
        thousands of volunteers from the community who saved lives, assisted the 
        injured, comforted the bereaved, and provided meals and support to those 
        who came to Oklahoma City to help those endangered or otherwise affected 
        by this terrorist act;
Whereas the people of Oklahoma and the United States pledged themselves to 
        create, build, and maintain a permanent national memorial to remember 
        those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever;
Whereas the Oklahoma City National Memorial draws hundreds of thousands of 
        visitors from around the world every year to the site of this tragic 
        event in American history;
Whereas the Oklahoma City National Memorial brings comfort, strength, peace, 
        hope, and serenity to the many visitors who come to the memorial and 
        museum each year to remember and to learn about this tragic event;
Whereas the 10th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah 
        Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is on April 19, 2005; and
Whereas the Oklahoma City National Memorial will commemorate the anniversary of 
        the terrorist bombing by recognizing the week of April 17-24, 2005, as 
        the National Week of Hope, which will include a day of faith, a day of 
        understanding, a day of remembrance, a day of sharing, a day of 
        tolerance, a day of caring, and a day of inspiration, and the annual 
        Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, A Run to Remember: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) joins with all Americans to send best wishes and 
        prayers to the families, friends, and neighbors of the 168 
        people killed in the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah 
        Federal Building;
            (2) thanks the thousands of first responders, rescue 
        workers, medical personnel, and volunteers from the Oklahoma 
        City community and from communities around the Nation who 
        answered the call for help that April morning and in the days 
        and weeks that followed;
            (3) sends best wishes and thoughts to those injured in the 
        bombing, and expresses gratitude for their recovery;
            (4) resolves to stand with all Americans to promote the 
        goals and mission established by the Oklahoma City National 
        Memorial as stated in the following mission statement of the 
        memorial: ``We come here to remember those who were killed, 
        those who survived, and those changed forever. May all who 
        leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer 
        comfort, strength, peace, hope, and serenity.'';
            (5) encourages Americans to observe a National Week of 
        Hope--
                    (A) to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 
                Oklahoma City bombing; and
                    (B) to allow each American to participate in an 
                event each day of that week to teach a lesson that--
                            (i) hope can exist in the midst of 
                        political violence;
                            (ii) good endures in the world even among 
                        those who commit bad acts; and
                            (iii) there is a way to resolve differences 
                        other than by resorting to terrorism or 
                        violence;
            (6) congratulates the people of Oklahoma City for making 
        tremendous progress over the past decade and for demonstrating 
        their steadfast commitment to such lessons; and
            (7) applauds the people of Oklahoma City as they continue 
        to persevere and to stand as a beacon to the rest of the Nation 
        and the world attesting to the strength of goodness in 
        overcoming evil wherever it arises.
                                 <all>