[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 627 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 627

Welcoming home Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes, and Marc Gonsalves, three 
citizens of the United States who were held hostage for over five years 
by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after their plane 
                     crashed on February 13, 2003.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2008

  Mr. Nelson of Florida (for himself, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Martinez, Mr. 
Dodd, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Craig, Mr. Bond, Mr. 
Domenici, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Hagel, Ms. Snowe, 
     Mrs. Dole, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Levin, Mr. Kerry, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. 
  Bayh) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

                             August 1, 2008

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Welcoming home Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes, and Marc Gonsalves, three 
citizens of the United States who were held hostage for over five years 
by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after their plane 
                     crashed on February 13, 2003.

Whereas a Congressional Resolution in 2007 (S. Con. Res. 53) condemned the 
        kidnapping and hostage-taking of three citizens of the United States, 
        Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes, and Marc Gonsalves for over four years by 
        the FARC, and demanded their immediate and unconditional release;
Whereas the Senate expresses sorrow at the murder of Tom Janis by the FARC, 
        another citizen of the United States that was on the downed aircraft, 
        and Luis Alcedes Cruz, a member of the Colombian military, as well as 
        citizens of the United States who died during a hostage search mission 
        in 2003;
Whereas the Government of Colombia carried out a historic rescue mission on July 
        2, 2008, freeing 15 hostages who the FARC had kidnapped and held in 
        captivity, including these three citizens of the United States, Ingrid 
        Betancourt, and military and police personnel of Colombia;
Whereas the armed forces of Colombia planned, led, and executed the rescue 
        operation without a single gunshot;
Whereas the United States Government played a key supportive role in the rescue 
        mission by the armed forces of Colombia;
Whereas the FARC is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the 
        Department of State and the European Union;
Whereas the FARC utilizes kidnappings for ransom, extortion, and the drug trade 
        to finance its activities;
Whereas the FARC committed atrocities against citizens of both Colombia and the 
        United States;
Whereas the FARC has kidnapped at least 36 citizens of the United States since 
        1980, and killed 10 citizens of the United States;
Whereas the FARC currently holds an estimated 700 people as hostages; and
Whereas over 50 FARC leaders have been indicted in the United States for drug 
        trafficking: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) welcomes Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes, and Marc 
        Gonsalves home to the United States after being held for over 
        five years by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia 
        (FARC);
            (2) celebrates with the families and relatives of the 
        hostages who kept faith despite being unsure of the fates of 
        their family members for more than five years;
            (3) expresses gratitude to the Government of Colombia and 
        the armed forces of Colombia for successfully rescuing the 
        hostages, and applauds the effective contribution of the United 
        States Government to this effort;
            (4) calls for the immediate release of all hostages held by 
        the FARC and other armed terrorist groups in Colombia; and
            (5) urges the FARC to lay down their weapons and reject 
        terrorism.
                                 <all>