[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 96 (Thursday, June 16, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S4304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 496--CONDEMNING THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE PULSE 
 ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB, HONORING THE MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK, 
 OFFERING CONDOLENCES TO AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND 
   FRIENDS AND ALL THOSE AFFECTED, AND APPLAUDING THE DEDICATION AND 
 BRAVERY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND COUNTERTERRORISM 
                 OFFICIALS IN RESPONDING TO THE ATTACK

  Mr. NELSON (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Reid, Mr. 
Alexander, Ms. Ayotte, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brown, 
Mr. Burr, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, 
Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Coats, Mr. Cochran, Ms. Collins, Mr. Coons, Mr. 
Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Daines, Mr. 
Donnelly, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Mrs. Ernst, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. 
Fischer, Mr. Flake, Mr. Franken, Mr. Gardner, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. 
Heller, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johnson, 
Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Mr. Kirk, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Leahy, 
Mr. Lee, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey, Mr. McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Moran, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. 
Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Paul, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Peters, Mr. Portman, Mr. 
Reed, Mr. Risch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Sasse, Mr. 
Schatz, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Scott, Mr. Sessions, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Shelby, 
Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Tillis, Mr. 
Toomey, Mr. Udall, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, 
Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which 
was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 496

       Whereas, in the early hours of Sunday, June 12, 2016, a 29-
     year-old man from Ft. Pierce, Florida, killed 49 and wounded 
     53 innocent people in a horrific terrorist attack on Pulse 
     Orlando, a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender nightclub, 
     during Latin night;
       Whereas the gunman, who was investigated in 2013-2014 by 
     the Federal Bureau of Investigation (in this preamble 
     referred to as the ``FBI'') for possible connections to 
     terrorism, pledged his allegiance to the leader of the 
     Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (in this preamble 
     referred to as ``ISIL'');
       Whereas President Barack Obama called the attack an act of 
     both terror and hate as well as an attack on all of the 
     people of the United States and the fundamental values of 
     equality and dignity;
       Whereas the attack is the deadliest mass shooting in the 
     modern history of the United States and the worst terrorist 
     attack on United States soil since September 11, 2001;
       Whereas the law enforcement professionals of the city of 
     Orlando and Orange County, Florida, the Florida Department of 
     Law Enforcement, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
     Firearms, and Explosives, and other emergency and health care 
     professionals responded to the attack bravely and admirably 
     and in a coordinated manner, saving many lives;
       Whereas following the attack hundreds of people stood in 
     long lines to donate blood for those injured in the attack, 
     and the people of Orlando, the State of Florida, and the 
     United States expressed overwhelming support for the victims 
     and their families regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, 
     sex, or sexual orientation; and
       Whereas the threat of terrorist attacks against the United 
     States and the people of the United States persists, 
     including the threat posed by homegrown terrorists inspired 
     by foreign terrorist organizations like ISIL: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the horrific terrorist attack on the Pulse 
     Orlando nightclub on June 12, 2016, in which 49 innocent 
     people were killed and 53 injured;
       (2) honors the memory of the victims killed in the attack 
     and offers heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies for 
     their families, loved ones, and friends;
       (3) expresses hope for a full and speedy recovery by and 
     pledges continued support for those injured in the attack;
       (4) applauds the dedication and bravery of local, State, 
     and Federal law enforcement and counterterrorism officials 
     for their efforts to respond to the attack and secure 
     communities;
       (5) stands together with all people of the United States, 
     regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual 
     orientation, in the face of terror and hate; and
       (6) reaffirms the commitment of the United States and its 
     allies to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and 
     other terrorist groups at home and abroad and to address the 
     threat posed by homegrown terrorism.

                          ____________________