[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 117 (Thursday, July 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 575--HONORING THE MEMORY OF THE 5 VICTIMS OF THE 
 ATTACK AT THE CAPITAL GAZETTE IN ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, ON JUNE 28, 2018

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

                              S. Res. 575

       Whereas the Capital Gazette traces its history to 1727 and 
     is one of the oldest newspapers published in the United 
     States;
       Whereas the Capital Gazette opposed the Stamp Act, a law 
     that helped to precipitate the American Revolution;
       Whereas the Capital Gazette is a sister publication to the 
     Baltimore Sun and maintains a reputation as a trusted and 
     well-respected newspaper outlet that informs and uplifts 
     communities in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, and Kent 
     Island, Maryland;
       Whereas journalism is a cornerstone of the democratic 
     society of the United States;
       Whereas local news outlets, including the Capital Gazette--
       (1) are focused on delivering truthful and thorough 
     reporting, local investigation, and community advocacy; and
       (2) are unfettered by individuals or groups who seek to 
     damage journalistic integrity by demonizing the media, 
     spreading disinformation, and harassing and intimidating 
     dedicated journalists;
       Whereas Thomas Jefferson said: ``Were it left to me to 
     decide whether we should have a government without 
     newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not 
     hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.'';
       Whereas, on the afternoon of June 28, 2018, a 38-year-old 
     gunman entered the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, 
     Maryland, with a shotgun and smoke grenades and killed 5 
     employees;
       Whereas after the Circuit Court of Prince George's County, 
     Maryland, dismissed a spurious defamation lawsuit filed by 
     the gunman against the Capital Gazette in 2011, the gunman 
     held a grudge against the newspaper and harassed and 
     threatened the staff of the newspaper and other local news 
     outlets and local public officials;
       Whereas during the attack, staff inside the building 
     remained committed to their journalistic duty and continued 
     to report by tweeting and sharing information while their 
     lives were in danger;
       Whereas officers of the Anne Arundel County Police 
     Department, the Annapolis Police Department, and the Anne 
     Arundel County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene within 
     1 minute after receiving the first 911 calls and bravely 
     apprehended the gunman and evacuated the building;
       Whereas officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
     Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation and other Federal law enforcement officers also 
     responded swiftly to assist local law enforcement and the 
     Maryland State Police;
       Whereas other first responders also arrived on the scene 
     within minutes of the attack, helping save lives and restore 
     order;
       Whereas staff from the Capital Gazette and the Baltimore 
     Sun affirmed their dedication to journalistic integrity and 
     released a newspaper the morning following the attack that 
     reported on the shooting and commemorated the lives of their 
     friends and colleagues with 5 heartfelt obituaries;
       Whereas the Senate honors--
       (1) Gerald Fischman, 61, who was an editor with more than 
     25 years of service with the Capital Gazette and who was 
     known at the newspaper and throughout the community for his 
     brilliant mind and writing;
       (2) Rob Hiaasen, 59, who was a columnist, editor, teacher, 
     and storyteller and who brought compassion and humor to his 
     community-focused reporting;
       (3) John McNamara, 56, who was a skilled writer and avid 
     sports fan and who combined these passions in his 24-year 
     career as a sports reporter at the Capital Gazette;
       (4) Rebecca Smith, 34, who was a newly-hired sales 
     assistant known for her kindness, compassion, and love for 
     her family; and
       (5) Wendi Winters, 65, who was a talented writer who built 
     her career as a public relations professional and journalist 
     and who was well-known for her profound reporting on the 
     lives and achievements of people within the community;
       Whereas the community of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 
     survivors of the attack, loved ones of the victims, and 
     mourners across Maryland came together to express an 
     outpouring of support for the victims and their families;
       Whereas the State of Maryland immediately ordered all State 
     flags in Maryland to be flown at half-staff in honor of the 
     victims; and
       Whereas the flags of the United States were flown at half-
     staff across the United States in honor of the Capital 
     Gazette victims on July 3, 2018: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates the lives, careers, and service of the 5 
     victims of the shooting, Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John 
     McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters;
       (2) honors the survivors of the attack and the families of 
     the victims and pledges continued support for their recovery;
       (3) applauds the bravery and professionalism of the staff 
     of the Capital Gazette who remained committed to their 
     journalistic craft and their fallen colleagues during and 
     after the attack;
       (4) thanks the State, county, local, and Federal law 
     enforcement officers and other emergency first responders for 
     their heroic actions;
       (5) recognizes the unity, compassion, and resilience of the 
     communities of Annapolis, Maryland and Anne Arundel County, 
     Maryland, after the attack;
       (6) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to defending the 
     First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;
       (7) honors media and journalism as core institutions of the 
     democracy of the United States; and
       (8) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     transmit enrolled copies of this resolution to the Editor-in-
     Chief of the Capital Gazette.

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