109 HRES 184 IH: Recognizing a National Week of Hope in commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-04-05 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 184 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

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.