[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 685--HONORING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF MEMBERS OF 
    THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS AND CONDEMNING THE 
DISGRACEFUL DENIGRATION BY PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP OF MILITARY SERVICE, 
                PRISONERS OF WAR, AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES

  Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. Reed, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Jones, Mr. Carper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Tester, Mrs. 
Shaheen, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Warren, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
Sanders, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
Coons, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Murphy, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Brown, Ms. Smith, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Bennet, Ms. 
Rosen, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Warner, Mr. Booker, Mr. Udall, Mr. 
Heinrich, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Markey, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
Merkley, and Ms. Harris) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 685

       Whereas the Nation owes an unmeasurable debt to all those 
     individuals who have served in the United States Armed 
     Forces, often shouldering the burden of long periods away 
     from home, difficult and frequently dangerous training and 
     deployments, and inherent physical, mental, and emotional 
     risks;
       Whereas the families, communities, and loved ones of 
     members of the Armed Forces support them in countless ways, 
     frequently making sacrifices of their own, especially Gold 
     Star families;
       Whereas many who love this country have served in conflicts 
     throughout the Nation's history, whether volunteering so 
     another would not have to go or answering the call when 
     drafted, or out of a profound and selfless sense of duty, 
     some never returning home, some still missing, and some who 
     suffered immense hardship as prisoners of war;
       Whereas one of the highest honors and solemn 
     responsibilities of serving as President of the United States 
     is to be Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces;
       Whereas faithful execution of this constitutional duty 
     requires, at a minimum, that the Commander in Chief 
     forcefully defend the safety of members of the Armed Forces 
     against foreign adversaries, such as President of the Russian 
     Federation, Vladimir Putin;
       Whereas the Commander in Chief has a duty to uphold good 
     order and discipline in the Armed Forces by refusing to issue 
     unconstitutional orders, refusing to pardon and excuse those 
     in uniform who commit crimes, and refusing to use rhetoric 
     that seeks to divide military personnel from their senior 
     leaders;
       Whereas the Nation honors the service and sacrifice of 
     members of the Armed Forces and veterans who placed the 
     mission first and refused to leave a fallen comrade, never 
     asking what was in it for them, but, rather, setting aside 
     selfish interests in defense of the Nation;
       Whereas a lack of respect for individuals who served in 
     uniform is a disqualifying characteristic for service as 
     President;
       Whereas President Trump repeatedly disrespected members of 
     the Armed Forces, and demonstrated a fundamental ignorance of 
     the ethos of military service--
       (1) when President Trump dehumanized members in saying of 
     such members that ``[w]e train our boys to be killing 
     machines, then prosecute them when they kill!'';
       (2) when President Trump pardoned members convicted of 
     actions that violate the laws of war, thereby valorizing war 
     crimes and contempt for the rule of law and unethical 
     warfighting, and undermining good order and discipline;
       (3) when President Trump dismissed traumatic brain injury 
     as ``headaches'' and described an incident of members 
     suffering traumatic brain injuries as a result of missile 
     strikes as ``not very serious'';
       (4) when President Trump denigrated the military service of 
     the late Senator John McCain by claiming that ``[h]e's not a 
     war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like 
     people who weren't captured'';
       (5) when President Trump failed to speak of Gold Star 
     parents with honor and respect;
       (6) when President Trump sought to humiliate a decorated 
     military officer, who was awarded the Purple Heart, by 
     forcing White House security to escort the officer off the 
     property when removing him from the National Security 
     Council; and
       (7) when President Trump failed to honor the solemn 
     responsibility of the Commander in Chief to offer comfort to 
     the families of members killed in action on his watch; and
       Whereas President Trump has failed to publicly condemn, 
     warn, or even criticize President of the Russian Federation, 
     Vladimir Putin, following public reports that Russia offered 
     bounties for the killing of members of the Armed Forces: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the denigration by President Donald Trump of 
     members of the United States Armed Forces and veterans;
       (2) affirms that the service and sacrifice of individuals 
     who serve the Nation in uniform, refuse to leave a fallen 
     comrade behind and never retreat in the face of grave danger, 
     as exemplified by the United States Marines who demonstrated 
     bravery, grit, and valor in prevailing in the fierce Battle 
     of Belleau Wood during World War I, reflect the true 
     character of our country that makes America great;
       (3) will honor and never forget the sacrifices and bravery 
     of members of the Armed Forces who became prisoners of war or 
     went missing in action;
       (4) will respect, honor, and care for the service-disabled 
     veterans who have borne the battle in defense of the Nation, 
     recognizing that wounds of war are earned by those who set 
     aside selfish interests; and
       (5) demands that President Donald Trump uphold his oath of 
     office and constitutional duty as Commander in Chief of the 
     Armed Forces to defend members of the Armed Forces against 
     hostile actions by leaders and military forces of the Russian 
     Federation.

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