[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 458 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 458

   Expressing the condolences of the Senate to those affected by the 
    devastating shooting incident of February 14, 2008, at Northern 
                Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2008

   Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Obama, and Mr. Hatch) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the condolences of the Senate to those affected by the 
    devastating shooting incident of February 14, 2008, at Northern 
                Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.

Whereas, on Thursday, February 14, 2008, a gunman entered a lecture hall on the 
        campus of Northern Illinois University and opened fire on the students 
        assembled there;
Whereas the gunman took the lives of 5 students and wounded 17 more;
Whereas the 5 students who lost their lives that day were--

    (1) Gayle Dubowski, age 20, of Carol Stream, Illinois, a devout member 
of her church who sang in the church choir and worked as a camp counselor 
and volunteer in rural Kentucky;

    (2) Catalina ``Cati'' Garcia, age 20, of Cicero, Illinois, a first-
generation American who had hoped to be a teacher, was her family's 
``princess'' and inspiration, and was rarely seen without a beaming smile;

    (3) Julianna Gehant, age 32, of Mendota, Illinois, who dreamed of 
becoming a teacher, and who had spent more than 12 years in the United 
States Army and Army Reserve serving our Nation and saving money for 
college;

    (4) Ryanne Mace, age 19, of Carpentersville, Illinois, a much-loved 
only child who was rarely without a warm smile and hoped to be a counselor 
so she could help others; and

    (5) Daniel Parmenter, age 20, of Westchester, Illinois, ``Danny'' to 
his friends, a 6-foot, 5-inch rugby player with a gentle spirit and a 
bright future, who died trying to protect his girlfriend from gunfire;

Whereas the Northern Illinois University Police Department, the Police 
        Departments of DeKalb, Sycamore, Aurora, Batavia, Cortland, Galesburg, 
        Genoa, Geneva, Mendota, St. Charles, Rockford, and the Village of 
        Winnebago, the Conservation Police, the Sheriff's Offices of DeKalb 
        County, Winnebago County, and Kane County, the Kane County Bomb Squad, 
        the Illinois State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
        Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Reach/Air Angel, 
        Flight for Life, Life Line, the Salvation Army, and the Fire and 
        Emergency Medical Services Departments of DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland, 
        Malta, Maple Park, Rochelle, Hampshire, Burlington, Shabbona, Hinckley, 
        Genoa-Kingston, Waterman, Elburn, St. Charles, Ogle-Lee, Kaneville, 
        Sugar Grove, North Aurora, and Somonauk responded to the emergency 
        promptly and assisted capably in the initial crisis and the subsequent 
        investigation;
Whereas the emergency responders and the doctors, nurses, and other health care 
        providers at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, Saint Anthony Medical 
        Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Rockford Memorial Hospital, and 
        Northwestern Memorial Hospital provided professional and dedicated care 
        to the victims;
Whereas hundreds of volunteer counselors from Illinois and across the Nation 
        have come to Northern Illinois University to assist the campus 
        community;
Whereas the students, faculty, staff, and administration of Northern Illinois 
        University, the people of the city of DeKalb and the State of Illinois, 
        and all Americans have mourned the victims of this tragedy and have 
        offered support to the victims' friends and families and to the greater 
        Northern Illinois University community;
Whereas Northern Illinois University has established a scholarship fund to honor 
        the memory of the students slain in the February 14 tragedy; and
Whereas the Northern Illinois University community is determined to move 
        ``forward, together forward'', in the words of the Huskie fight song, 
        and to persevere through this tragedy with heavy hearts but unbroken 
        spirits: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses its sincere condolences to the families, 
        friends, and loved ones of those who were killed in the tragic 
        shooting on February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois University 
        in DeKalb, Illinois: Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Julianna 
        Gehant, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter;
            (2) extends its support and prayers to those who were 
        wounded and wishes them a speedy recovery;
            (3) commends the emergency responders, law enforcement 
        officers, healthcare providers, and counselors who performed 
        their duties with professionalism and dedication in response to 
        the tragedy;
            (4) reaffirms its commitment to helping ensure that 
        schools, colleges, and universities in the United States are 
        safe and secure environments for learning; and
            (5) expresses its solidarity with Northern Illinois 
        University and its students, faculty, staff, and administration 
        as they mourn their losses and as they recover from this tragic 
        incident.
                                 <all>