[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 186 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONDEMNING HAMAS FOR ITS PREMEDITATED, COORDINATED, AND BRUTAL 
   TERRORIST ATTACKS ON ISRAEL AND DEMANDING THAT HAMAS IMMEDIATELY 
             RELEASE ALL HOSTAGES AND RETURN THEM TO SAFETY

  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration and that 
the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 408.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 408) condemning Hamas for its 
     premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on 
     Israel and demanding that Hamas immediately release all 
     hostages and return them to safety, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. KAINE. I ask unanimous consent that the Rosen substitute 
amendment to the resolution be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, 
be agreed to; the Rosen substitute amendment to the preamble be agreed 
to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1364) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to 
as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

        Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following: ``That the Senate--
       (1) condemns Hamas in the harshest terms for its 
     premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on 
     Israel;
       (2) decries Hamas's abductions and threats made against 
     hostages, including threats to use hostages as human shields;
       (3) demands that Hamas provide access and medical care to 
     all hostages;
       (4) demands that Hamas immediately release all hostages and 
     return them to safety;
       (5) calls on the United States to lead a global effort to 
     demand the release of the hostages held captive by Hamas; and
       (6) expresses sympathy to the hostages and those wounded, 
     and to their families, and mourns those killed by Hamas's 
     terrorist attacks.

  The resolution (S. Res. 408), as amended, was agreed to.
  The amendment to the preamble (No. 1365) in the nature of a 
substitute was agreed to as follows:

                    (Purpose: To amend the preamble)

       Strike the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror 
     group, launched premeditated, coordinated, and brutal 
     terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel, targeting 
     the Israeli people;
       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded more than 20 
     communities bordering the Gaza Strip and attacked innocent 
     young people attending the Tribe of Nova music festival;
       Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has killed more than 
     1,400 Israelis, along with at least 30 United States 
     citizens, and wounded nearly 4,000 people;
       Whereas reports and videos have surfaced of Hamas executing 
     Israeli civilians, including entire families being 
     slaughtered and horrific acts of violence targeting young 
     children;
       Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has fired more than 
     5,000 rockets into Israel;
       Whereas it is estimated that nearly 240 people were 
     abducted and are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip;
       Whereas more than 20 countries have verified their citizens 
     were either killed or are unaccounted for, with many believed 
     to be taken hostage by Hamas;
       Whereas children and the elderly are among those taken 
     hostage by Hamas;
       Whereas some hostages, including multiple United States 
     citizens, are known to be in dire need of urgent medical 
     assistance;
       Whereas Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and 
     broadcast the executions publicly;
       Whereas, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a 
     foreign terrorist organization;
       Whereas United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres 
     condemned the attacks by Hamas in the strongest terms and 
     unequivocally called for the ``immediate release of all 
     abducted persons''; and
       Whereas the deliberate murder and hostage-taking of 
     innocent civilians are prohibited by international law: Now, 
     therefore, be it

  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows:

                              S. Res. 408

       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror 
     group, launched premeditated, coordinated, and brutal 
     terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel, targeting 
     the Israeli people;
       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded more than 20 
     communities bordering the Gaza Strip and attacked innocent 
     young people attending the Tribe of Nova music festival;
       Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has killed more than 
     1,400 Israelis, along with at least 30 United States 
     citizens, and wounded nearly 4,000 people;
       Whereas reports and videos have surfaced of Hamas executing 
     Israeli civilians, including entire families being 
     slaughtered and horrific acts of violence targeting young 
     children;
       Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has fired more than 
     5,000 rockets into Israel;
       Whereas it is estimated that nearly 240 people were 
     abducted and are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip;
       Whereas more than 20 countries have verified their citizens 
     were either killed or are unaccounted for, with many believed 
     to be taken hostage by Hamas;
       Whereas children and the elderly are among those taken 
     hostage by Hamas;
       Whereas some hostages, including multiple United States 
     citizens, are known to be in dire need of urgent medical 
     assistance;
       Whereas Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and 
     broadcast the executions publicly;
       Whereas, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a 
     foreign terrorist organization;
       Whereas United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres 
     condemned the attacks by Hamas in the strongest terms and 
     unequivocally called for the ``immediate release of all 
     abducted persons''; and
       Whereas the deliberate murder and hostage-taking of 
     innocent civilians are prohibited by international law: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns Hamas in the harshest terms for its 
     premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on 
     Israel;
       (2) decries Hamas's abductions and threats made against 
     hostages, including threats to use hostages as human shields;
       (3) demands that Hamas provide access and medical care to 
     all hostages;
       (4) demands that Hamas immediately release all hostages and 
     return them to safety;
       (5) calls on the United States to lead a global effort to 
     demand the release of the hostages held captive by Hamas; and
       (6) expresses sympathy to the hostages and those wounded, 
     and to their families, and mourns those killed by Hamas's 
     terrorist attacks.

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