[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 9, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S2507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 94--RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SINKING 
                  OF THE U.S.S. ``THRESHER'' (SSN 593)

  Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Ms. Ayotte, Ms. Collins, and Mr. King) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 94

       Whereas U.S.S. Thresher was first launched at Portsmouth 
     Naval Shipyard on July 9, 1960;
       Whereas U.S.S. Thresher departed Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 
     for her final voyage on April 9, 1963, with a crew of 16 
     officers, 96 sailors, and 17 civilians;
       Whereas the mix of that crew reflects the unity of the 
     naval submarine service, military and civilian, in the 
     protection of the United States;
       Whereas at approximately 7:47 a.m. on April 10, 1963, while 
     in communication with the surface ship U.S.S. Skylark, and 
     approximately 220 miles off the coast of New England, U.S.S. 
     Thresher began her final descent;
       Whereas U.S.S. Thresher was declared lost with all hands on 
     April 10, 1963;
       Whereas in response to the loss of U.S.S. Thresher, the 
     United States Navy instituted new regulations to ensure the 
     health of the submariners and the safety of the submarines of 
     the United States;
       Whereas those regulations led to the establishment of the 
     Submarine Safety and Quality Assurance program (SUBSAFE), now 
     1 of the most comprehensive military safety programs in the 
     world;
       Whereas SUBSAFE has kept the submariners of the United 
     States safe at sea ever since as the strongest, safest 
     submarine force in history;
       Whereas, since the establishment of SUBSAFE, no SUBSAFE-
     certified submarine has been lost at sea, which is a legacy 
     owed to the brave individuals who perished aboard U.S.S. 
     Thresher;
       Whereas from the loss of U.S.S. Thresher, there arose in 
     the institutions of higher education in the United States the 
     ocean engineering curricula that enables the preeminence of 
     the United States in submarine warfare; and
       Whereas the crew of U.S.S. Thresher demonstrated the ``last 
     full measure of devotion'' in service to the United States, 
     and this devotion characterizes the sacrifices of all 
     submariners, past and present: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the sinking of 
     U.S.S. Thresher;
       (2) remembers with profound sorrow the loss of U.S.S. 
     Thresher and her gallant crew of sailors and civilians on 
     April 10, 1963; and
       (3) expresses its deepest gratitude to all submariners on 
     ``eternal patrol'', who are forever bound together by 
     dedicated and honorable service to the United States of 
     America.

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