[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 164 (Monday, October 6, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 437--HONORING THE PILOTS, MAINTAINERS, ANALYSTS, 
SAILORS, SUPPORT AIRCRAFT, AND FAMILIES, AMONG VARIOUS OTHER ESSENTIAL 
      GROUPS INVOLVED IN THE SUCCESS OF OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER

  Mr. SCHMITT (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Cruz, Mrs. Britt, Mrs. 
Blackburn, Mr. Budd, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Risch, Mr. 
Sullivan, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Ms. Collins) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 437

       Whereas, at midnight on June 21, 2025, a group of stealth 
     aircraft headed west from the base as a decoy while 7 B-2 
     Spirit stealth bombers deployed from Whiteman Airforce Base 
     in Knob Noster, Missouri, and dropped 14, 30,000-pound, GBU 
     57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs 
     on Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and Natanz Pilot Fuel 
     Enrichment Plant in the Islamic Republic of Iran;
       Whereas, throughout the 18-hour flight into the target 
     area, the B-2 bombers completed multiple in-flight refueling, 
     which require precision and close flight formation, typically 
     within 100 feet;
       Whereas, once over land, the B-2 bombers joined escort and 
     support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed maneuver 
     requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in 
     a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal 
     communications;
       Whereas the strike package employed high-speed suppression 
     weapons on 3 nuclear facilities in Iran, Fordow Fuel 
     Enrichment Plant, Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, and 
     Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, to ensure the safe passage 
     of the strike package with fighter assets employing 
     preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian 
     surface-to-air threats;
       Whereas the mission devastated the Iranian nuclear program, 
     despite denial by the Islamic Republic of Iran of any 
     significant damage;
       Whereas a United States submarine in the area of 
     responsibility of United States Central Command launched more 
     than 2 dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key 
     surface infrastructure targets at Isfahan as the Operation 
     Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace and 
     were the last to strike to ensure the element of surprise was 
     retained throughout the operation; and
       Whereas all operational B-2 bombers are based at Whiteman 
     Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri, where the active-
     duty 509th Bomb Wing and 131st Bomb Wing Missouri Air 
     National Guard jointly train, fly, and maintain the fleet for 
     the Air Force: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the men and women involved in Operation 
     Midnight Hammer for their bravery, highly technical 
     expertise, and dedication to the mission to keep the United 
     States safe;
       (2) recognizes the strategic significance of Operation 
     Midnight Hammer, citing the operation as the largest B-2 
     operational strike in United States history and the second 
     longest B-2 mission ever flown, the operation is exceeded 
     only by the days following the terrorist attacks on September 
     11, 2001; and
       (3) recognizes the sacrifices of the families of the men 
     and women involved in Operation Midnight Hammer, which 
     allowed them to faithfully execute their duties to their 
     military post.

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