[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H6837-H6839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING TERRORIST ATTACKS IN SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT, ON JULY 23,
2005
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree
to the resolution (H. Res. 384) condemning in the strongest terms the
terrorist attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on July 23, 2005, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 384
Whereas on July 23, 2005, a series of explosions at tourist
facilities in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, planned and carried out
by terrorists, resulted in the death of scores of civilians
and the injury of hundreds of others;
Whereas the people of Egypt have been subjected to several
other terrorist deadly attacks over the past year;
Whereas Egypt's appointed ambassador to Iraq, Dr. Ihab al-
Sherif, was kidnapped and executed by terrorists in Baghdad
during July 2005; and
Whereas President George W. Bush expressed the solidarity
of the people and Government of the United States with the
people and Government of Egypt during his visit to the
Embassy of Egypt: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks
on Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and other terrorist attacks
directed against Egypt;
(2) expresses its condolences to the families and friends
of those individuals who were killed in the attacks and
expresses its sympathies to those individuals who have been
injured;
(3) joins with President George W. Bush in expressing the
solidarity of the people and Government of the United States
with the people and Government of Egypt as they recover from
these cowardly and inhuman attacks; and
(4) expresses its readiness to support the Egyptian
authorities in their efforts to bring to justice those
individuals responsible for the recent attacks in Egypt and
to pursue, disrupt, undermine, and dismantle the networks
which plan and carry out such attacks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 384.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is highly regrettable that the House must once again
be in the position of having to express its outrage at yet another
terrorist incident. Again, that incident is linked to a terrible
distortion or perversion of Islam, a perversion that resulted in the
killing of scores of Egyptians and their foreign guests, including an
American, at Sharm el-Sheikh last weekend.
Two weeks ago we were sharing in the loss of scores of British
citizens after the treacherous attacks in London. Today through this
resolution we share in the mourning of Egyptians. Our feeling of
sympathy is common to both peoples who share with us, most of all, our
humanity, and whom we mourn just as we mourn all others who are lost in
terrorists attacks around the world.
Despite our differences with certain policies pursued by the
Government of Egypt, the killing of innocents must be strongly
condemned, and we stand ready to support Egyptian authorities in
bringing to justice those responsible for the recent attacks. We must
unite with the Government and the people of Egypt to help fight a
common enemy.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. The recent
deadly terrorist attacks in Egypt culminating in last week's assault on
Sharm el-Sheikh have proven once again that the extreme ideology of
violent Islamic fundamentalism poses a danger not only to the Western
world, but to peace-loving people everywhere. The terrorists do not
distinguish between Christians, Jews or Muslims in their search to
destroy the core values of civilized society.
Mr. Speaker, at this difficult time we extend our deepest sympathies
to the people of Egypt and to the loved ones of those many nations who
perished in the bombing. Egypt has suffered several recent losses at
the hands of violent fanatics. Earlier this month, Egypt's ambassador-
designate in Iraq, Ambassador Ihab al-Sharif, was kidnapped and
murdered. This courageous diplomat was to have been the first Arab
ambassador accredited to the newly liberated Iraq, and his murder is a
tragedy for all decent people.
In that spirit, let me express my profound concern over reports just
this morning from Iraq that two recently kidnapped Algerian diplomats
also may have been assassinated. I sincerely hope that these reports
may not be true.
Mr. Speaker, we want the Egyptian people to know that they have our
full support as they seek to hunt down those who planned and
implemented the heinous attack at Sharm el-Sheikh, and as they seek to
eradicate the scourge of fundamentalist violent Islam that has
afflicted Egypt in several spasms over recent years, the same
horrendous scourge that took the life of the late President Anwar
Sadat, one of the towering figures of the 20th century.
I believe, Mr. Speaker, that the ultimate answer to this problem lies
in
[[Page H6838]]
education, improved health, economic development, and political reform.
But now is not the time to debate those issues. Now is the time to
defeat and to destroy the terrorists and those who have created them.
Today, Mr. Speaker, we stand as one with the Egyptian people and the
Egyptian Government in opposing and rejecting the violent ideology of
extremist Islamic hate of which Egypt has been the latest victim. I
support this resolution strongly. I urge all of my colleagues to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), the distinguished chairman of the House
Committee on Government Reform.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday July 23, 2005,
was a dreadful day for the entire civilized world. The multiple
bombings in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh that killed dozens
constituted the deadliest act of terrorism in Egypt's history.
I want to assure the victims of the attack, their families, and all
Egyptian people that the House of Representatives and the American
people stand with them during this time of loss.
As we know all too well, terrorists remain committed to senseless
killing of innocent people. Their evil must be defeated. That a suicide
attacker would ram a pick-up truck packed with 660 pounds of explosives
into a hotel is just the most recent demonstration of the viciousness
of these killers.
Last weekend's attack is not an isolated incident. A suicide bomber
exploded a bomb in a Cairo market on April 7 this year, killing three,
including one American. On April 30, two women fired several gunshots
into a tour bus in Cairo wounding seven people. And on July 7, Egypt's
Ambassador to Iraq, Dr. Ihab al-Sharif, was kidnapped and killed by a
group associated with al Qaeda.
{time} 1400
The July 23 attack is a heartbreaking reminder of the human toll in
the war on terror, but it will only serve to steel the resolve of
America, Egypt, and our allies. The U.S. Government will continue its
cooperation with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to track down the
terrorists involved in these attacks. America and our allies do not
distinguish between terrorist acts aimed at interrupting the Israeli-
Palestinian appeals process, those attacking the operations of the new
Iraqi government, or those that result in the murder of innocent
sightseers in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Mr. Speaker, as this legislation resolves all to do, I am proud to
join President Bush in expressing the solidarity of the American people
with the Egyptian people in the aftermath of the July 23 attacks. I
strongly support House Resolution 384.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler), a member of the Committee on
International Relations.
Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the very eloquent ranking
member of the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos), for yielding me this time; and I would first
like to associate myself with both his remarks and the remarks of the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) as they very aptly
expressed the sentiments of the American people in regard to the most
recent attacks in Egypt.
The attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh were unconscionable acts of tragedy
and terror. At this difficult time, the American people stand shoulder
to shoulder with the people of Egypt in condemning these reprehensible
and senseless acts. As partners in the war against terror, the United
States and Egypt are united in our struggle against al Qaeda and the
desire for security and peace.
In the past decade, Sharm el-Sheikh has served as an embodiment of
hope for the future of the Middle East. It has been a popular tourist
destination for Israelis and Europeans and for people worldwide, and
the site of high-level peace talks regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict
and the future of Iraq. It is my hope that Sharm el-Sheikh will
continue to serve as a haven for the hope of peace, irrespective of
this tragic event. This is the only way to ensure that the victims of
this atrocity will not have died in vain.
I join my colleagues in condemning these horrific acts, expressing
condolences to the families of those lost, and reaffirming the long-
standing partnership between the United States and Egypt. The gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos) very eloquently and aptly said: ``At such
a time, it is not the time for debate regarding policy. It is a time
for humanity to come together in the quest for the victory of freedom
and democracy.''
It would be naive, however, Mr. Speaker, not to acknowledge that
these attacks come in a political context. And I would hope, as a
result of these attacks, that Egypt continue its efforts, as it has
done in the past year, in returning its ambassador to Israel and
implementing the QIZ legislation requiring and promoting joint
investment between business people in Egypt and Israel for the
betterment of Egyptian workers, that Egypt progress on a path of both
political and economic reform. That ultimately will provide the victory
of freedom and democracy that both Americans and Egyptians justly
deserve and the terrorists that committed these heinous acts most
definitely oppose.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In this global struggle between chaos and civilization, there is no
doubt in my mind that civilization will prevail; yet every time we are
confronted with a tragedy, whether it be London or Sharm el-Sheikh, in
Jerusalem or elsewhere, we must express our solidarity with the
victims, with the survivors, and with the governments that stand with
us against global terrorism.
Our support for the Egyptian people and for the government of Egypt
is offered without any reservation or qualification. This House is
united in expressing our sympathy and our condolences.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time; but before yielding
back my time, I would like to express my personal best wishes to
Danielle Simonetta, who is back here, and who will end her exceptional
service with the House this week. With her warm good spirits and a
depth of managerial skills, she has conducted the legislative agenda on
this side of the aisle, frequently under tremendous pressure from many
quarters, though not, of course, from Members.
I know I speak for Members on both sides of the aisle when I say,
Thank you, Danielle. We are going to miss you, and we welcome you back
to our congressional family at any time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 384,
``Condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in Sharm el-
Sheikh, Egypt, on July 23, 2005.''
I wish to express my condolences to the families of those killed in
last week's terrorist attacks, and my sympathy to those injured in the
bombings. I would also like to join with Presdient's George W. Bush in
expressing the solidarity of the people and government of the United
States with the people and government of Egypt. The United States
stands ready to support the Egyptian authorities in their efforts to
bring to justice those responsible for these cowardly attacks.
These attacks, again, make plain the fact that the Global War on
Terrorism is not a way of the West against the Muslim world but a war
being fought between those who value freedom and democracy and respect
for human rights and those who kill innocent civilians.
Egypt is a friend and ally of the United States. The people of the
United States stand by the people of Egypt at this time tragedy.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 384. This
legislation condemns the vicious terrorist attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh,
Egypt on July 23, 2005. Those tragic blasts left 88 innocent civilians
dead and 119 other injured and were the result of a coordinated plan to
build fear in the hearts of the Egyptian people and rob them of their
liberty.
These acts and many others have been perpetrated by individuals who
claim they are acting in the name of Islam. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. It is an
insult to Muslim Americans and Muslims worldwide to suggest that their
chosen religion has anything to do with these terrorist attacks. Let me
be clear, those who kill innocents and even themselves in the name of
Islam are perverting their religion.
[[Page H6839]]
When I talk to Muslim leaders in my district they tell me that the
only good thing to come out of these attacks is the raised awareness of
their religion and their resulting ability to educate many for the
first time on the true tenants of their faith. I am proud of the many
Muslims in New Jersey for the work they do everyday to promote peace
and religious tolerance. I look forward to a day when all Americans
will know the true values of Islam, and understand the hateful and
perverted ``faith'' of those who would commit these deadly attacks.
Terrorism sadly has become a tragic trend in our day and age. The
targeting of innocent civilians in brutal attacks throughout the world,
in London, New York, Washington, Madrid, the Middle East, and the
latest attacks in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt all make us a little less
secure as human beings. These attacks cannot be allowed to continue.
They rob us all of our life and liberty. We cannot let terrorism become
a commonplace aspect of our lives. Consequently, I support this
resolution to affirm the solidarity of all Americans with the Egyptian
people, and condemn these terrorists attacks.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 384.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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