[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 69 (Thursday, April 27, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        TRAGEDY IN OKLAHOMA CITY

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. President, I rise to speak briefly about the recent 
tragedy in Oklahoma.
  Mr. President, throughout our land, so many have already spoken out 
so eloquently about this, that I can add but little to what has already 
been said. The suffering of the victims, the inhumanity and cowardice 
of the bombers, the compassion and heroism of our community of 
citizens, and our solemn resolution to exact justice and punishment--
all of these have been powerfully attested to already.
  I will therefore limit myself to praise a particular aspect of our 
President's handling of this crisis.
  There has been so much of our American democracy which has shown 
itself to be worthy of praise and of pride in this last week--from the 
behavior of ordinary citizens in a time of trial, on up through the 
labors of rescue and medical teams, through to the highest ranks of our 
law enforcement agencies, and up to the conduct of the President. I 
trust that terrorists the world over would be rightly awed and cowed by 
the great skill, energy, and resolution that has been displayed.
  In the wake of such a horrible tragedy, there is a terrible feeling 
of powerlessness, and it exists for all of us, even those of us at the 
highest levels of government. We had to hope that the perpetrators 
would be caught. Many had to wait and to hope that loved ones would be 
found alive. Even those who were actively engaged in bringing relief 
and justice had to contend with so many factors outside of their 
control.
  When I think of what the President faced, I am reminded in a small 
way of Dwight Eisenhower's recollection of the Normandy invasion. He 
had done all he could to plan and to provide, but once he issued the 
fateful order--``Let's go!''--his subordinates scrambled to carry out 
their tasks, and he was left alone with a sudden realization: that he 
was now powerless to do more than to hope that his orders would be 
carried out successfully.
  I can only imagine that a similar anxiety must have gripped the 
President as he issued orders which he hoped
 would bring answers--and arrests--in the wake of this tragedy. He must 
indeed believe himself to be fortunate that law enforcement agents 
across the country worked so doggedly and so well, and so successfully, 
even as much remains to be done.

  But even with everything the President had to hope for in terms of 
carrying out an investigation, there still remained a duty that was 
his, and his alone, as President of the United States. There is no way 
for a President to delegate the responsibility of speaking for the 
Nation, and of providing a voice of resolution and reason when events 
have gone awry.
  This action of the President has served this country so well in the 
days after the tragic event. Yet now there appears to be some 
scapegoating by him today. He first voiced the Nation's determination 
to bring the criminals to justice. He had steadfastly resisted the 
temptation to blame the tragedy on specific ethnic or ideological 
groups. And he gave voice to what so many Americans were feeling, the 
fundamental commitment to law and to peaceful order shared by nearly 
all Americans, no matter where they stand politically.
  It is not a duty to be underestimated. At a time when so many 
Americans must necessarily feel themselves powerless to fight back 
against this cowardly attack, the need is great to have their feelings 
expressed, and to have them channeled into a constructive collective 
response to this tragedy.
  In those first few days, the President, even as he worked to comfort 
the victims of the attack, succeeded in drawing a clearly understood 
line as to where this Nation stands. He asserted with great force and 
clarity that, on the one hand, Americans have a right to be suspicious 
of government, and to exercise their first amendment rights, their 
second amendment rights, and every other protected right. But this 
Nation cannot and will not tolerate the exercise of rights that include 
violent attacks on Federal officials, on their children, or anyone 
else.
  I pray that none of us, including the President, become vindictive 
toward any group in America--whether they are Islamic Americans, 
conservative organizations, talk show hosts, or anyone else--we must 
remember that virtually all of these people are as horrified by this 
violence as are we.
  The President spoke well soon after the tragedy when he left no doubt 
that Americans are not divided over these matters, but united in our 
commitment to law and order, in a way that law-abiding Americans as 
well as terrorists should be able to understand. And this was an 
important cathartic process for Americans as we coped with this 
tragedy.
  I close by giving my thanks to those in our government who have 
worked so hard in these last days to ``bind the Nation's wounds.''
  Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I was pleased to join with my colleagues in 
adopting Senate Resolution 110 which condemns the horrendous violence 
that happened in Oklahoma City and urges the administration to bring to 
justice those responsible for committing this evil crime. In addition, 
the measure expresses our deepest sympathy to the families that have 
lost so much and conveys our gratitude to all the Americans who have 
been assisting in rescue efforts.
  Today, I would like to recognize those individuals from Nevada who 
have joined in the heartbreaking struggle to help our friends in 
Oklahoma. Dr. Scott Bjerke, a specialist in critical care at University 
Medical Center's trauma unit, Dave Webb, a fire specialist with the 
U.S. Forest Service, Metro Police Sgt. Bill Burnett, and Clark County 
fire paramedic coordinator chief Steve Hanson all are members of Clark 
County's elite 60 member Urban Search and Rescue Task Force which 
headed to Oklahoma City to assist rescue workers. In addition, the 
Clark County American Red Cross has sent Caroline Johnson, officer for 
the disaster computer operations, to Oklahoma City. In times of 
tragedy, there are always heroes. All the Americans who have been 
devoting endless time and emotions to ease the pain of so many are the 
true heros of this tragedy. I am proud that Nevadans have united 
together with the country during this time of such need. I thank these 
individuals for their commitment to others.
  Although we cannot ever heal all the wounds both emotional and 
physical from this tragedy, I hope that those in Oklahoma will know 
that Nevadans are praying for them and somehow that will lessen their 
pain.


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