[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 5, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3736-S3737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED TODAY

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration en bloc of the following 
resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 477, S. Res. 
478, S. Res. 479, and S. Res. 480.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolutions en bloc.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed 
to, the preambles be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon 
the table en bloc with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statements related to the resolutions be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolutions were agreed to.
  The preambles were agreed to.
  The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:

                              S. Res. 477

(Calling for the safe and immediate return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to 
                           the United States)

       Whereas Colin Bower's 2 young sons, Noor and Ramsay Bower, 
     were illegally abducted from the United States by their 
     mother in August 2009 and taken to Egypt;
       Whereas Noor William Noble Bower, age 11, and Ramsay 
     Maclean Bower, age 9, are citizens of the United States of 
     America;
       Whereas, on December 1, 2008, prior to the abduction of 
     Noor and Ramsay, the Probate and Family Court of the 
     Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded sole legal custody of 
     Noor and Ramsay to Colin Bower, and joint physical custody 
     with Mirvat el Nady, which ruling stipulated Mirvat el Nady 
     was not to remove Noor and Ramsay from the Commonwealth of 
     Massachusetts;
       Whereas, in August of 2009, following a violation of the 
     Probate Court's ruling, the Massachusetts Trial Court granted 
     sole physical custody of Noor and Ramsay to their father, 
     Colin Bower;
       Whereas Colin Bower has been granted only 4 visitations 
     with his sons in the almost 3 years since the abduction;
       Whereas the United States has expressed its commitment, 
     through the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of 
     International Child Abduction, done at the Hague October 25, 
     1980, ``to protect children internationally from the harmful 
     effects of their wrongful removal or retention and to 
     establish procedures to ensure their prompt return to the 
     State of their habitual residence''; and
       Whereas the United States and 69 other countries that are 
     partners to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of 
     international Child Abduction have agreed, and encourage all 
     other countries to concur, that the appropriate court for 
     determining the best interests of children in custody matters 
     is the court in the country of their habitual residence: Now 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate calls on government officials and 
     competent courts in Egypt to assist in the safe and immediate 
     return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States.

                              S. Res. 478

  (Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the chartering of Hamilton 
                     College in Clinton, New York)

       Whereas Hamilton College, located in Clinton, New York, 
     received its charter from the Regents of the University of 
     the State of New York on May 26, 1812, ``for the instruction 
     and education of youth, in the learned languages and liberal 
     arts and sciences'';
       Whereas Hamilton College was originally founded in 1793 as 
     the Hamilton-Oneida Academy by the Reverend Samuel Kirkland, 
     a missionary to the Oneida Indians;
       Whereas all-male Hamilton College joined with all-female 
     Kirkland College in 1978 to form one coeducational 
     institution of higher learning dedicated to academic freedom 
     and the unfettered pursuit of truth;
       Whereas the distinguished alumni of Hamilton College 
     include recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential 
     Medal of Freedom, and the Pulitzer Prize, and public servants 
     at every level, including a former Vice President of the 
     United States, United States Senators and Representatives, 
     United States district and appellate court judges, members of 
     the Presidential Cabinet, ambassadors, Governors, and State, 
     county, and local officials; and
       Whereas Hamilton College is currently comprised of 1,812 
     students from 49 states and 37 countries, and a faculty 
     dedicated to teaching and the discovery and advancement of 
     new knowledge: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates the bicentennial of the chartering of 
     Hamilton College in Clinton, New York; and
       (2) honors the outstanding contributions made by the 
     alumni, faculty, and students of Hamilton College during the 
     past 200 years, including service to the United States that 
     has fostered the development of the United States as a 
     diplomatic force and industrial power in the world.

                              S. Res. 479

  (Commemorating the dedication of the Strategic Air Command Memorial 
             during the 20th anniversary of its stand down)

       Whereas Strategic Air Command was formed on March 21, 1946, 
     to provide the United States with long-range bombing 
     capabilities;
       Whereas Strategic Air Command operations were moved to 
     Offutt Air Force Base in 1948 to avoid a surprise attack from 
     the growing nuclear threat by the Soviet Union during the 
     Cold War;
       Whereas the men and women of Strategic Air Command 
     perfected aerial refueling, allowing Strategic Air Command 
     bombers to reach any spot in the world and advancing the 
     ability of the United States to project military power 
     worldwide;
       Whereas in 1953, following the Korean War, the defense 
     strategy of the United States shifted and President 
     Eisenhower designated Strategic Air Command as the primary 
     nuclear deterrent for the United States;
       Whereas the Strategic Air Command played a major role in 
     the triad of aircraft, missiles, and submarines that provided 
     an undefeatable nuclear force that prevented nuclear war and 
     kept the Soviet Union at bay until the demise of the Soviet 
     Union in December 1991;

[[Page S3737]]

       Whereas Strategic Air Command is credited with the 
     development of the Snark, Atlas, and Minuteman missiles;
       Whereas Strategic Air Command maintained continuous 
     airborne alert operations from October 1957 until September 
     1991, which many consider the longest continuous military 
     operation in history;
       Whereas in 1962, the visibility of Strategic Air Command 
     bombers responding to the DEFCON 2 order issued by President 
     Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis presented a clear 
     indication to the Soviet Union of the determination of the 
     United States to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba;
       Whereas at its height in 1962, Strategic Air Command 
     employed 283,000 personnel and maintained 3,400 aircraft and 
     224 land-based missiles;
       Whereas in December 1972, 33 crewmembers and 10 B 52 
     bombers supported by Strategic Air Command were lost during 
     Operation Linebacker II in North Vietnam during the aerial 
     bombing campaign that forced Vietnamese leadership back to 
     negotiations and a peace settlement;
       Whereas the need for absolute command and control by 
     national leaders led Strategic Air Command to organize the 
     National Emergency Airborne Command Post operation, which 
     became the National Airborne Operations Center and the E 4B 
     aircraft operating at Offutt Air Force Base;
       Whereas the operational practices and procedures for safe 
     and secure nuclear weapons were established by Strategic Air 
     Command and continue under the leadership of United States 
     Strategic Command and Air Force Global Strike Command;
       Whereas the Strategic Air Command performed the assigned 
     mission flawlessly according to its famous motto, ``Peace is 
     Our Profession'';
       Whereas the United States, and particularly the State of 
     Nebraska, is extremely grateful to those who served the 
     United States at Strategic Air Command; and
       Whereas the Senate recognizes the service and dedication of 
     the individuals whose unyielding commitment and sacrifice 
     contributed to the continued safety of the United States for 
     over 4 decades: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the stand down of 
     Strategic Air Command and the immeasurable contributions and 
     prominent role of Strategic Air Command in national security 
     and nuclear deterrence during the Cold War;
       (2) commemorates the dedication of the Strategic Air 
     Command Memorial in the State of Nebraska, which pays tribute 
     to the men and women who worked tirelessly to make Strategic 
     Air Command the most powerful and professional military 
     organization in the world; and
       (3) honors the personnel who served at Strategic Air 
     Command and those who have carried on the tradition of 
     excellence through service at United States Strategic 
     Command.

                              S. Res. 480

(Commemorating the 20th anniversary of United States Strategic Command)

       Whereas United States Strategic Command was established on 
     June 1, 1992, to meet national security needs of the post-
     cold-war era by combining all strategic planning, targeting, 
     and wartime employment of forces under one commander 
     headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in the State of 
     Nebraska;
       Whereas United States Strategic Command was reestablished 
     in 2002 at Offutt Air Force Base, combining the 
     responsibilities of United States Strategic Command and the 
     United States Space Command along with responsibility for 
     early warning and defense against missile attack;
       Whereas over the last 20 years, United States Strategic 
     Command has flawlessly executed the mission to deter nuclear 
     attacks and employ nuclear forces if necessary;
       Whereas in 2010 the mission of United States Strategic 
     Command expanded again to include cyberspace operations 
     through United States Cyber Command, a subunified command;
       Whereas United States Strategic Command provides continuous 
     information regarding orbiting satellites and space debris to 
     spacecraft such as the International Space Station;
       Whereas United States Strategic Command has supported 
     coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan by providing 
     intelligence, planning, and cyber support;
       Whereas United States Strategic Command contributed to 
     United States operations in Libya through long-range 
     conventional strikes and intelligence, surveillance, and 
     reconnaissance;
       Whereas United States Strategic Command continues to be the 
     premier nuclear deterrent in the United States, serving as a 
     center for global command and communications headquartered in 
     the State of Nebraska; and
       Whereas the United States, and particularly the State of 
     Nebraska, is grateful to those who serve the United States at 
     United States Strategic Command: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the establishment of 
     United States Strategic Command and the vital contributions 
     of United States Strategic Command to national security; and
       (2) honors the dedicated men and women who serve at United 
     States Strategic Command executing the mission to deter and 
     detect strategic attack against the United States and allies 
     of the United States and to defend the nation as directed.

                          ____________________