[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 178 (Friday, December 9, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S7038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 638--RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK 
 ON PEARL HARBOR AND THE LASTING SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR 
                            REMEMBRANCE DAY

  Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Brown, Ms. 
Collins, Mrs. Fischer, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Hatch, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. 
King, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Manchin, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Moran, 
Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. 
Tillis, Ms. Warren, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Peters, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Markey, Mr. Warner, 
Mr. Gardner, and Mr. Thune) submitted the following resolution; which 
was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 638

       Whereas, on December 7, 1941, without warning and minutes 
     before 8:00 a.m., aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy 
     attacked military installations of the United States at Pearl 
     Harbor and elsewhere on the island of Oahu, Hawaii;
       Whereas the attack at Pearl Harbor lasted for approximately 
     5 hours, during which 2,403 members of the Armed Forces of 
     the United States were killed or mortally wounded, 1,247 
     members of the Armed Forces of the United States were 
     wounded, and 57 civilians lost their lives;
       Whereas Japanese aircraft mercilessly attacked facilities, 
     naval vessels, and aircraft of the United States in 2 waves, 
     destroying or severely damaging numerous vessels of the 
     United States Pacific Fleet and 188 aircraft of the United 
     States, while Japanese submarines torpedoed several vessels 
     of the United States between San Francisco and Honolulu;
       Whereas President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared the 
     day of the attack on Pearl Harbor ``a date which will live in 
     infamy'', and the people of the United States became united 
     in remembrance of their fallen countrymen and committed to 
     defending the United States against all aggressors;
       Whereas, on the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, 
     December 8, 1941, Congress declared war against Japan, and 3 
     days later against Germany, thus beginning the involvement of 
     the United States in a global conflict that would define a 
     generation;
       Whereas more than 400,000 men and women of the United 
     States sacrificed their lives to preserve the sacred freedoms 
     of the United States and to cease forever the spread of 
     Nazism through Europe and imperialism by Japan;
       Whereas, after nearly 4 years of warfare, and following 
     victory on the European front, World War II ended on 
     September 2, 1945, when the Japanese surrendered aboard the 
     USS Missouri;
       Whereas, in 1950, Admiral Arthur Radford ordered that a 
     flagpole be erected over the remains of the USS Arizona, one 
     of the battleships of the United States sunk at Pearl Harbor;
       Whereas the USS Arizona serves as the final resting place 
     for many of the 1,177 crew members of that battleship who 
     lost their lives on December 7, 1941;
       Whereas the USS Arizona also serves as an educational site 
     for people of the United States and international visitors 
     alike, raising awareness about the attack on Pearl Harbor and 
     the perils of war;
       Whereas the terms of the Japanese surrender fostered 
     significant democratic reform in Japan, including ensuring 
     the individual liberty and rights of the people of Japan;
       Whereas the United States has moved beyond the tragedy of 
     Pearl Harbor and war against Japan and, in the years since 
     the conclusion of World War II, has formed a strong and 
     valuable alliance with Japan, including military cooperation 
     and bilateral trade; and
       Whereas, on August 23, 1994, Congress enacted Public Law 
     103-308 (later codified as section 129 of title 36, United 
     States Code), which designates December 7th of each year as 
     National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and requests that the 
     President--
       (1) issue each year a proclamation calling on the people of 
     the United States to observe National Pearl Harbor 
     Remembrance Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities; 
     and
       (2) urge all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities 
     of the Federal Government, and interested organizations, 
     groups, and individuals, to fly the flag of the United States 
     at half-staff each December 7th in honor of the individuals 
     who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate, on the occasion of the 75th 
     anniversary of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, 
     Hawaii--
       (1) pays tribute to the members of the Armed Forces of the 
     United States and civilians who died in the attack;
       (2) honors the thousands of men and women of the Armed 
     Forces of the United States who paid the ultimate sacrifice 
     and gave their lives in defense of freedom and liberty during 
     World War II;
       (3) acknowledges the continued peaceful and mutually 
     beneficial relationship between the United States and Japan; 
     and
       (4) appreciates the efforts of Japan as one of the most 
     reliable security partners of the United States.

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