Whereas, on August 2, 1990, Iraq bombed and invaded the
Republic of Kuwait, thereby initiating the Gulf War;
Whereas, on January 12, 1991, the United States Congress
authorized the United States Armed Forces to help the Republic of Kuwait defend
itself against the Iraqi invasion;
Whereas United States and Coalition air forces under
United States Central Command Air Forces opened Operation Desert Storm with an
air campaign on January 17, 1991, that eventually flew over 100,000 sorties and
delivered over 88,000 tons of largely precision munitions against enemy
infrastructure;
Whereas, on January 31, 1991, the United States Marine
Corps drove back Iraqi forces in the city of Khafji, in Saudi Arabia, supported
by Saudi and Qatari forces;
Whereas, on February 23, 1991, the 1st Marine Division,
2nd Marine Division, and the 1st Light Armored Infantry crossed into Kuwait and
paved the way for Kuwaiti forces to recapture Kuwait City on February 26,
1991;
Whereas, on February 24, 1991, operating with allied
French and British forces, heavy armored elements of the United States Army VII
Corps thrust through enemy defenses west of Kuwait City, and the United States
XVIII Airborne Corps, spearheaded by the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the
24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), executed a rapid flanking maneuver farther
west through weakly held Iraqi territory and encircled enemy forces
there;
Whereas the hostilities ended in a cease-fire declared by
President George Bush on February 28, 1991, 100 hours after the ground campaign
began;
Whereas during the Gulf War, approximately 694,550 members
of the United States Armed Forces served in-theater, along with the forces of
the Republic of Kuwait and 30 other member states of the United Nations, to
defend freedom and democracy;
Whereas casualties of the United States during the Gulf
War included 383 dead (of whom 148 were battle deaths), and more than 467
wounded;
Whereas approximately 2,225,000 American men and women
served worldwide in the Armed Forces during the entire Gulf War era of August
2, 1990, to February 28, 1991;
Whereas approximately 174,000 veterans suffer from Gulf
War veterans’ illnesses, including Gulf War Syndrome;
Whereas Congress applauds the Institute of Medicine’s
Report on Gulf War and Health, released on April 9, 2010, fully supports the
Department of Veterans Affairs task force to identify recommendations from that
report to better identify and treat Gulf War veterans’ illnesses, including
Gulf War Syndrome, and reaffirms the commitment of the United States to ensure
that all Gulf War veterans suffering from these illnesses are appropriately
treated and compensated;
Whereas the Republic of Kuwait is a strong ally of the
United States, having contributed troops in support of United States operations
during the Gulf War, and providing the main platform of support for operations
in Operation Iraqi Freedom, while also supporting numerous United Nations
peacekeeping missions throughout the world;
Whereas since the end of the Gulf War era, an average of
more than 2,000 members of the United States Armed Forces have served annually
in Kuwait to defend the Republic of Kuwait against external aggression, and to
promote regional peace; and
Whereas beginning in August 2010, various ceremonies are
being planned in the United States to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the
outbreak of the Gulf War and to honor all Gulf War veterans: Now, therefore, be
it
That Congress—
(1)recognizes the
historical importance of the 20th anniversary of the outbreak of the Gulf War,
which began on August 2, 1990;
(2)honors the noble
service and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces and the armed forces of
allied countries that served in the Persian Gulf since 1990 to the
present;
(3)encourages all
Americans to participate in commemorative activities to pay solemn tribute to,
and to never forget, the veterans of the Gulf War;
(4)calls upon the
President to issue a proclamation recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Gulf
War; and
(5)reaffirms the
commitment of the United States to its alliance with the Republic of Kuwait for
the betterment of peace and prosperity in the Persian Gulf region.