[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 575 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 575

   Honoring the memory of the 5 victims of the attack at the Capital 
           Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28, 2018.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 12, 2018

 Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Schumer, 
 Mr. Alexander, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, 
Mr. Blunt, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Brown, Mr. Burr, Ms. Cantwell, 
   Mrs. Capito, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
Coons, Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Crapo, 
  Mr. Cruz, Mr. Daines, Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Enzi, Mrs. Ernst, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Flake, Mr. Gardner, 
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
Hatch, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Heller, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, 
 Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jones, Mr. 
 Kaine, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Leahy, 
   Mr. Lee, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey, Mr. McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. 
   Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Moran, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Paul, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Peters, Mr. Portman, Mr. 
 Reed, Mr. Risch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Sasse, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Scott, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Shelby, Ms. Smith, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Toomey, 
  Mr. Udall, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
  Wyden, and Mr. Young) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring the memory of the 5 victims of the attack at the Capital 
           Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28, 2018.

Whereas the Capital Gazette traces its history to 1727 and is one of the oldest 
        newspapers published in the United States;
Whereas the Capital Gazette opposed the Stamp Act, a law that helped to 
        precipitate the American Revolution;
Whereas the Capital Gazette is a sister publication to the Baltimore Sun and 
        maintains a reputation as a trusted and well-respected newspaper outlet 
        that informs and uplifts communities in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, 
        and Kent Island, Maryland;
Whereas journalism is a cornerstone of the democratic society of the United 
        States;
Whereas local news outlets, including the Capital Gazette--

    (1) are focused on delivering truthful and thorough reporting, local 
investigation, and community advocacy; and

    (2) are unfettered by individuals or groups who seek to damage 
journalistic integrity by demonizing the media, spreading disinformation, 
and harassing and intimidating dedicated journalists;

Whereas Thomas Jefferson said: ``Were it left to me to decide whether we should 
        have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a 
        government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.'';
Whereas, on the afternoon of June 28, 2018, a 38-year-old gunman entered the 
        Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, with a shotgun and 
        smoke grenades and killed 5 employees;
Whereas after the Circuit Court of Prince George's County, Maryland, dismissed a 
        spurious defamation lawsuit filed by the gunman against the Capital 
        Gazette in 2011, the gunman held a grudge against the newspaper and 
        harassed and threatened the staff of the newspaper and other local news 
        outlets and local public officials;
Whereas during the attack, staff inside the building remained committed to their 
        journalistic duty and continued to report by tweeting and sharing 
        information while their lives were in danger;
Whereas officers of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Annapolis 
        Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office 
        responded to the scene within 1 minute after receiving the first 911 
        calls and bravely apprehended the gunman and evacuated the building;
Whereas officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and 
        the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other Federal law enforcement 
        officers also responded swiftly to assist local law enforcement and the 
        Maryland State Police;
Whereas other first responders also arrived on the scene within minutes of the 
        attack, helping save lives and restore order;
Whereas staff from the Capital Gazette and the Baltimore Sun affirmed their 
        dedication to journalistic integrity and released a newspaper the 
        morning following the attack that reported on the shooting and 
        commemorated the lives of their friends and colleagues with 5 heartfelt 
        obituaries;
Whereas the Senate honors--

    (1) Gerald Fischman, 61, who was an editor with more than 25 years of 
service with the Capital Gazette and who was known at the newspaper and 
throughout the community for his brilliant mind and writing;

    (2) Rob Hiaasen, 59, who was a columnist, editor, teacher, and 
storyteller and who brought compassion and humor to his community-focused 
reporting;

    (3) John McNamara, 56, who was a skilled writer and avid sports fan and 
who combined these passions in his 24-year career as a sports reporter at 
the Capital Gazette;

    (4) Rebecca Smith, 34, who was a newly hired sales assistant known for 
her kindness, compassion, and love for her family; and

    (5) Wendi Winters, 65, who was a talented writer who built her career 
as a public relations professional and journalist and who was well-known 
for her profound reporting on the lives and achievements of people within 
the community;

Whereas the community of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, survivors of the attack, 
        loved ones of the victims, and mourners across Maryland came together to 
        express an outpouring of support for the victims and their families;
Whereas the State of Maryland immediately ordered all State flags in Maryland to 
        be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims; and
Whereas the flags of the United States were flown at half-staff across the 
        United States in honor of the Capital Gazette victims on July 3, 2018: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the lives, careers, and service of the 5 
        victims of the shooting, Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John 
        McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters;
            (2) honors the survivors of the attack and the families of 
        the victims and pledges continued support for their recovery;
            (3) applauds the bravery and professionalism of the staff 
        of the Capital Gazette who remained committed to their 
        journalistic craft and their fallen colleagues during and after 
        the attack;
            (4) thanks the State, county, local, and Federal law 
        enforcement officers and other emergency first responders for 
        their heroic actions;
            (5) recognizes the unity, compassion, and resilience of the 
        communities of Annapolis, Maryland and Anne Arundel County, 
        Maryland, after the attack;
            (6) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to defending the 
        First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;
            (7) honors media and journalism as core institutions of the 
        democracy of the United States; and
            (8) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
        transmit enrolled copies of this resolution to the Editor-in-
        Chief of the Capital Gazette.
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