[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 51 (Friday, April 19, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE OKLAHOMA CITY TRAGEDY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, today, on the first anniversary of the 
tragedy that shook Oklahoma City and the entire Nation, I join with my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle in offering condolences to the 
friends and families of those who lost their lives--gratitude to those 
Federal workers and citizens whose bravery saved lives--and resolve to 
do all we can to prevent such acts of hateful terrorism and violence 
from happening again.
  No words or deeds of this Congress can ever bring back the dedicated 
public servants, citizens, and innocent children who lost their lives 
in the Oklahoma City bombing. Even 1 year after this awful tragedy, it 
is hard to find meaning in their loss--to make sense of the random 
hatred they suffered. And as we move toward enacting crucial 
antiterrorism legislation in the Congress, the image of those who lost 
their lives 1 year ago--especially the precious young children--reminds 
us of how fragile human life can be, and how each day is truly a 
blessing for ourselves and for our families.
  My hope is that by remembering what happened on April 19, 1995, we 
will not only redouble our efforts to secure the safety and security of 
our citizens--beyond all boundaries of party or partisanship--but that 
we will also come to appreciate the gifts of service and citizenship we 
receive from our fellow Americans each and every day. Such gifts, like 
the good works of those who died in Oklahoma City and those who risked 
their lives to save others, are all too easy to take for granted.

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