[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 128 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 128

  Honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States 
 Armed Forces on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the start of 
            Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 19, 2013

    Mr. Hunter (for himself, Mr. Turner, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. 
  Kinzinger of Illinois, Mr. Peters of California, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. 
  Grimm, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. Gibson, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. 
  Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Coffman, Mr. Gallego, Mr. 
Wittman, and Mr. Stivers) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States 
 Armed Forces on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the start of 
            Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

Whereas in Public Law 107-243 (H.J. Res 114 of the 107th Congress), the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate authorized the President to use the 
        United States Armed Forces as the President determined to be necessary 
        and appropriate against Iraq;
Whereas, on March 19, 2003, the United States Armed Forces began military 
        operations in Iraq, with the objective of disarming and removing Saddam 
        Hussein and his regime;
Whereas, on April 9, 2003, with the removal of a statue of Saddam Hussein in 
        Firdos Square in Baghdad by members of the United States Armed Forces 
        and Iraqi civilians, the United States Armed Forces and coalition forces 
        effectively neutralized the Iraqi Army just three weeks after ground 
        operations began;
Whereas, on July 22, 2003, after refusing to surrender, Saddam Hussein's sons 
        Uday Hussein and Qusay Hussein were killed in a firefight with members 
        of the United States Armed Forces in Mosul;
Whereas, on December 13, 2003, acting on information provided through 
        coordinated intelligence activity, members of the United States Armed 
        Forces captured Saddam Hussein in Tikrit;
Whereas in 2004, in direct response to an insurgent uprising in Fallujah, 
        approximately 15,000 members of the United States Armed Forces and 
        coalition forces entered the insurgent stronghold and reclaimed the 
        city;
Whereas, on October 15, 2005, the new Constitution of Iraq was ratified and two 
        months later the first election for the Iraqi Council of Representatives 
        was facilitated;
Whereas, on June 7, 2006, in a significant blow to the insurgent campaign, a 
        United States Air Force airstrike near Baquba killed Abu Musab al-
        Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq;
Whereas, on January 10, 2007, with the number of members of the United States 
        Armed Forces in Iraq totaling approximately 140,000, a surge of 21,000 
        American troops was announced under the banner of ``A New Way Forward'';
Whereas, on June 1, 2007, in what was called ``The Awakening'', Sunni tribe 
        members joined the United States Armed Forces and coalition forces in 
        targeting militants in Anbar Province and other locations, leading to a 
        significant decrease in insurgent violence;
Whereas, on September 1, 2008, the United States Armed Forces in Anbar Province 
        formally transferred security responsibilities to Iraqi forces;
Whereas, on February 1, 2009, reductions in the number of members of the United 
        States Armed Forces serving in Iraq began;
Whereas, on June 30, 2009, the United States Armed Forces withdrew from Baghdad 
        and other cities in accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement 
        between the United States and the Government of Iraq;
Whereas, on March 7, 2010, with the support of the United States Armed Forces 
        and coalition forces, Iraqi parliamentary elections are held under the 
        control of Iraqi security forces, with voter turnout registering above 
        60 percent;
Whereas in September 2010, the remaining combat forces of the United States 
        Armed Forces departed from Iraq, prompting the redesignation of the 
        contingency operation from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New 
        Dawn;
Whereas, on December 18, 2011, all remaining members of the United States Armed 
        Forces departed from Iraq;
Whereas between March 2003 and December 2011, more than 1.5 million members of 
        the United States Armed Forces served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
        Operation New Dawn;
Whereas 4,486 members of the United States Armed Forces made the ultimate 
        sacrifice while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New 
        Dawn and more than 32,000 members of the United States Armed Forces were 
        wounded during almost nine years of military operations in Iraq;
Whereas four Medals of Honor, the highest United States award for military 
        valor, were awarded for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
        New Dawn;
Whereas at least 327 Silver Stars, 21 Navy Crosses, and 15 Distinguished Service 
        Crosses were awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for 
        gallantry in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn; and
Whereas March 19, 2013, is the 10th anniversary of the start of United States 
        military operations in Iraq as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New 
        Dawn: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) extends its gratitude to the more than 1.5 million 
        members of the United States Armed Forces, from both the 
        regular and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, 
        Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine, who served in 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn;
            (2) recognizes the success of the United States Armed 
        Forces in operations against a dangerous and determined enemy;
            (3) recognizes the tremendous personal sacrifice of the 
        members of the United States Armed Forces who served in 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, many of whom 
        were committed to multiple deployments away from loved ones, 
        and the contributions of military families on the homefront;
            (4) pays tribute to the 4,486 members of the United States 
        Armed Forces who lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom 
        and Operation New Dawn; and
            (5) commits itself to honoring the memory of these heroes 
        for their courage and sacrifice.
                                 <all>