[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6285-S6286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE FOUR AMERICAN PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO DIED IN BENGHAZI,
LIBYA, INCLUDING AMBASSADOR J. CHRISTOPHER STEVENS, AND CONDEMNING THE
VIOLENT ATTACK OF THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE IN BENGHAZI
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 551.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 551) commending the 4 American public
servants who died in Benghazi, Libya, including Ambassador J.
Christopher Stevens, for their tireless efforts on behalf of
the American people, and condemning the violent attack on the
United States consulate in Benghazi.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, the deaths of Ambassador Stevens and his
team are heartbreaking. It is easy for a lot of people to forget that
our diplomats are on the frontlines of the world's most dangerous
places and they are there trying to make the world a safer and better
place at great risk to themselves and their families.
Chris Stevens was all that and more. He was a foreign service
professional down to his toes, a guy who had served on the Foreign
Relations Committee and embraced tough odds and tough assignments
overseas. He had the guts and grit to serve as our envoy during the
rebellion, and his presence there reminded Libyans that America stood
with them for freedom in the face of violence. He was continuing that
noble work as Ambassador with enormous skill.
He was an important part of the work we are doing in Libya, and we
will not let this deplorable violence turn back the progress he helped
make possible. Let's remember that Libyans fought to protect the
consulate and rescue the Americans inside, and that Libyans took Chris
to a hospital in a desperate and potentially dangerous attempt to save
his life. Indeed, the best way to honor his memory and that of the four
American public servants who perished in Benghazi is to continue their
work. The United States must continue to support the aspirations of the
people of Libya for political reform based on democratic and human
rights and the development of an inclusive government that ensures
freedom, opportunity, and justice for the people of Libya. This is what
Chris Stevens would have wanted.
The violence in Cairo and Benghazi is unacceptable and unjustifiable.
The stupidity of one filmmaker, no matter how offensive, is not now,
and never, a rationale for violence. A despicable act like this hurts
us all--Americans and peaceful people who aspire to build their own
democracy. I commend President Obama for committing to bring the
perpetrators of this attack to justice, and I am confident that this is
precisely what the United States Government will do.
This is one of those moments when Americans must unite as Americans.
It is exactly the wrong time to throw political punches. It is a time
to restore calm and proceed wisely.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a man
who was killed in service to his country, a man who hails from my State
of California, Ambassador John Christopher Stevens.
I was shocked and saddened to learn of the deaths of Ambassador
Stevens and the other three Americans who were killed during the
horrible attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya. My deepest
condolences go out to their families. They remain in my thoughts and
prayers.
He was struck down in the consulate by an act of mob violence which
should never have taken place. There is simply no justification for
this type of action and I condemn it in the strongest terms.
[[Page S6286]]
I would like to begin by telling you a little bit about this
dedicated public servant, someone with a unique and distinguished
biography.
Born and raised in Piedmont CA, Ambassador Stevens graduated from
Piedmont High School before receiving his undergraduate degree from the
University of California at Berkley in 1982 and a J.D. from the
University of California's Hastings College of Law in 1989.
Before he joined the Foreign Service in 1991, he was an international
trade lawyer in Washington, DC, and from 1983 to 1985 he was a Peace
Corps volunteer in Morocco.
His overseas postings were consequential and showed he was an
effective Foreign Service officer. He served as the deputy principal
officer and political section chief in Jerusalem, a political officer
in Damascus, a consular/political officer in Cairo, and a consular/
economic officer in Riyadh.
In addition to his service abroad, Ambassador Stevens was the
director of the Office of Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs, a
Pearson Fellow with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, special
assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Iran desk
officer, and staff assistant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
He also served twice in Libya before becoming Ambassador: as deputy
chief of mission at our Embassy in Tripoli from 2007 to 2009 and
special representative to the Libyan Transitional Council from March
2011 to November 2011.
In May 2012, he became the first U.S. Ambassador to Libya following
the fall of Qadhafi.
As you can see, he had a long and distinguished career as one of our
top diplomats, someone who learned the language and culture of a region
of the world critical to U.S. national security interests.
Clearly, this was someone who was committed to helping the Libyan
people achieve their goal of a free and democratic country after
decades of brutal dictatorship.
As Ambassador, he immediately went to work to help Libya build a new
future, engaging government officials, academics, businessmen, and
civil society leaders on a daily basis.
Sadly, his term as Ambassador and his service to his country ended
far too soon.
This attack and the assault on our Embassy in Cairo serve as sobering
reminders that we must continue to pay attention to the events in the
countries involved in the Arab Spring.
While in some countries like Egypt and Libya autocrats have fallen
and the people have elected new leadership, tensions remain high and
uncertainty about the future abounds.
There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that these
countries fully embrace democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
It is critical that those responsible for these acts are brought to
justice. And I call on the Governments of Libya and Egypt to work
closely with the administration to ensure that this does not happen
again.
Ambassador Stevens was one of our best. He will be sorely missed.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, that all
Senators be added as cosponsors to the resolution, and all statements
related to the resolution be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 551) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 551
Whereas on September 11, 2012, 4 American public servants,
including United States Ambassador to Libya, John Christopher
Stevens, and Sean Smith, were killed in a reprehensible and
vicious attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi,
Libya;
Whereas Ambassador Stevens--
(1) was a courageous and exemplary representative of the
United States;
(2) had spent 21 years in the Foreign Service;
(3) was deeply passionate about representing the United
States through his diplomatic service; and
(4) was an ardent friend of the Libyan people;
Whereas Ambassador Stevens served as Special Envoy to the
Libyan Transitional National Council in Benghazi during the
2011 Libyan revolution;
Whereas Ambassador Stevens was a dear friend of the Senate,
having served on the staff of the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate in 2006 and 2007 as a distinguished
Pearson Fellow;
Whereas Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean
Smith--
(1) was a husband and a father of 2 children;
(2) joined the Department of State 10 years ago; and
(3) had served in the Foreign Service, before arriving in
Benghazi, in Baghdad, Pretoria, Montreal, and The Hague;
Whereas the 2 other individuals from Ambassador Stevens'
team who perished in the attack made great sacrifices and
showed bravery in taking on a difficult post in Libya;
Whereas the violence in Benghazi coincided with an attack
on the United States Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, which was also
swarmed by an angry mob of protesters on September 11, 2012;
Whereas on a daily basis, United States diplomats, military
personnel, and other public servants risk their lives to
serve the American people; and
Whereas throughout this Nation's history, thousands of
Americans have sacrificed their lives for the ideals of
freedom, democracy, and partnership with nations and people
around the globe.
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the dedicated service and deep commitment of
the 4 American public servants, including Ambassador John
Christopher Stevens and Sean Smith, in assisting the Libyan
people as they navigate the complex currents of democratic
transition marked in this case by profound instability;
(2) praises Ambassador Stevens, who represented the highest
tradition of American public service, for his extraordinary
record of dedication to the United States' interests in some
of the most difficult and dangerous posts around the globe;
(3) sends its deepest condolences to the families of those
American public servants killed in Benghazi;
(4) commends the bravery of Foreign Service Officers,
United States Armed Forces, and public servants serving in
harm's way around the globe and recognizes the deep
sacrifices made by their families; and
(5) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the
despicable attacks on American diplomats and public servants
in Benghazi and calls for the perpetrators of such attacks to
be brought to justice.
____________________