[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1661 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 1661

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 28, 2010.
Whereas 10 unarmed civilians were brutally killed in Badakhshan province, 
        Afghanistan, on August 5, 2010;
Whereas those killed were humanitarian aid workers, operating a mobile health 
        clinic for people with little access to medical care;
Whereas the humanitarian assistance team included a surgeon, an optometrist, a 
        dentist, a nurse, a photographer, translators, a cook, and a guard;
Whereas among the murdered humanitarian aid workers were 6 United States 
        citizens, including Cheryl Beckett, Brian Carderelli, Thomas Grams, Glen 
        Lapp, Tom Little, and Dan Terry;
Whereas Cheryl Beckett, who grew up near Cincinnati, Ohio, had spent 6 years in 
        Afghanistan, helping mothers to provide adequate nutrition for 
        themselves and their children, and organizing relief efforts for more 
        than 200 Afghan families struggling to survive the winter without heat 
        or electricity;
Whereas Brian Carderelli, a recent graduate of James Madison University in 
        Harrisonburg, Virginia, joined the medical team as a photographer and 
        videographer, documenting the Afghan communities to which the team 
        provided assistance and the successes they together achieved;
Whereas Dr. Thomas Grams, a dentist from Durango, Colorado, gave up his practice 
        4 years ago to devote his life to providing free dental care to those in 
        need, especially children throughout Asia and Latin American, with a 
        focus on Nepal and Afghanistan;
Whereas Glen Lapp, a nurse from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, came to Afghanistan in 
        2008 in order to serve as manager of a much-needed provincial eye care 
        program in Afghanistan;
Whereas the humanitarian assistance team was led by Tom Little, an optometrist 
        from New York, who raised 3 daughters while living in Afghanistan and 
        was deeply dedicated to serving the health needs of Afghans, 
        particularly those in remote areas without access to medical care;
Whereas Dan Terry, originally from Sequim, Washington, was fluent in multiple 
        languages and had lived in Afghanistan since 1971, working tirelessly on 
        behalf of the country's most impoverished and marginalized populations 
        and helping international humanitarian aid workers to understand and 
        respect the local culture;
Whereas the organization that sponsored these humanitarian aid workers was a 
        signatory to the ``Principles of Conduct for the International Red Cross 
        and Red Crescent for NGOs and Disaster Response Programmes'', which 
        states that ``aid will not be used to further a particular political or 
        religious standpoint'';
Whereas international humanitarian aid workers have played a vital role in 
        saving lives and meeting basic human needs in Afghanistan over the last 
        3 decades;
Whereas violent extremists have committed many ruthless and brutal attacks 
        against the people of Afghanistan, starting in the 1990s with public 
        executions in soccer stadiums, attacks against girls attending school, 
        and many other terrible measures;
Whereas these violent extremists have directed wanton acts of cruelty against 
        Afghanistan's poorest and most vulnerable populations, as well as 
        against humanitarian aid workers; and
Whereas these senseless killings will have a tragic impact for decades to come, 
        both on the families of the victims and on the people of Afghanistan: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors the lives of the brave and selfless humanitarian aid 
        workers, doctors, and nurses who died in the tragic attack of August 5, 
        2010, in northern Afghanistan;
            (2) extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims;
            (3) strongly condemns those who committed these brutal murders;
            (4) urges the Afghan authorities to do their utmost to bring the 
        perpetrators of this heinous act to justice;
            (5) encourages all parties to respect the neutral status of 
        humanitarian aid workers; and
            (6) commends international humanitarian aid workers for their 
        courageous efforts to save lives and alleviate suffering by providing 
        important services to the Afghan people.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.