[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2365-2366]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE SENATE TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE 
    DEVASTATING SHOOTING INCIDENT OF FEBRUARY 14, 2008, AT NORTHERN 
                ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN DeKALB, ILLINOIS

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 458, which was 
submitted earlier today by myself and Senator Obama.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will state the resolution 
by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 458) expressing the condolences of 
     the Senate to those affected by the devastating shooting 
     incident of February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois 
     University in DeKalb, Illinois.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate, and that any statements related to the resolution be printed in 
the Record at the appropriate place as if read.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 458) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 458

       Whereas, on Thursday, February 14, 2008, a gunman entered a 
     lecture hall on the campus of Northern Illinois University 
     and opened fire on the students assembled there;
       Whereas the gunman took the lives of 5 students and wounded 
     17 more;
       Whereas the 5 students who lost their lives that day were--
       (1) Gayle Dubowski, age 20, of Carol Stream, Illinois, a 
     devout member of her church who sang in the church choir and 
     worked as a camp counselor and volunteer in rural Kentucky;
       (2) Catalina ``Cati'' Garcia, age 20, of Cicero, Illinois, 
     a first-generation American who had hoped to be a teacher, 
     was her family's ``princess'' and inspiration, and was rarely 
     seen without a beaming smile;
       (3) Julianna Gehant, age 32, of Mendota, Illinois, who 
     dreamed of becoming a teacher, and who had spent more than 12 
     years in the United States Army and Army Reserve serving our 
     Nation and saving money for college;

[[Page 2366]]

       (4) Ryanne Mace, age 19, of Carpentersville, Illinois, a 
     much-loved only child who was rarely without a warm smile and 
     hoped to be a counselor so she could help others; and
       (5) Daniel Parmenter, age 20, of Westchester, Illinois, 
     ``Danny'' to his friends, a 6- foot, 5-inch rugby player with 
     a gentle spirit and a bright future, who died trying to 
     protect his girlfriend from gunfire;
       Whereas the Northern Illinois University Police Department, 
     the Police Departments of DeKalb, Sycamore, Aurora, Batavia, 
     Cortland, Galesburg, Genoa, Geneva, Mendota, St. Charles, 
     Rockford, and the Village of Winnebago, the Conservation 
     Police, the Sheriff's Offices of DeKalb County, Winnebago 
     County, and Kane County, the Kane County Bomb Squad, the 
     Illinois State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
     the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 
     Reach/Air Angel, Flight for Life, Life Line, the Salvation 
     Army, and the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Departments 
     of DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland, Malta, Maple Park, Rochelle, 
     Hampshire, Burlington, Shabbona, Hinckley, Genoa-Kingston, 
     Waterman, Elburn, St. Charles, Ogle-Lee, Kaneville, Sugar 
     Grove, North Aurora, and Somonauk responded to the emergency 
     promptly and assisted capably in the initial crisis and the 
     subsequent investigation;
       Whereas the emergency responders and the doctors, nurses, 
     and other health care providers at Kishwaukee Community 
     Hospital, Saint Anthony Medical Center, Good Samaritan 
     Hospital, Rockford Memorial Hospital, and Northwestern 
     Memorial Hospital provided professional and dedicated care to 
     the victims;
       Whereas hundreds of volunteer counselors from Illinois and 
     across the Nation have come to Northern Illinois University 
     to assist the campus community;
       Whereas the students, faculty, staff, and administration of 
     Northern Illinois University, the people of the city of 
     DeKalb and the State of Illinois, and all Americans have 
     mourned the victims of this tragedy and have offered support 
     to the victims' friends and families and to the greater 
     Northern Illinois University community;
       Whereas Northern Illinois University has established a 
     scholarship fund to honor the memory of the students slain in 
     the February 14 tragedy; and
       Whereas the Northern Illinois University community is 
     determined to move ``forward, together forward'', in the 
     words of the Huskie fight song, and to persevere through this 
     tragedy with heavy hearts but unbroken spirits: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses its sincere condolences to the families, 
     friends, and loved ones of those who were killed in the 
     tragic shooting on February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois 
     University in DeKalb, Illinois: Gayle Dubowski, Catalina 
     Garcia, Julianna Gehant, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter;
       (2) extends its support and prayers to those who were 
     wounded and wishes them a speedy recovery;
       (3) commends the emergency responders, law enforcement 
     officers, healthcare providers, and counselors who performed 
     their duties with professionalism and dedication in response 
     to the tragedy;
       (4) reaffirms its commitment to helping ensure that 
     schools, colleges, and universities in the United States are 
     safe and secure environments for learning; and
       (5) expresses its solidarity with Northern Illinois 
     University and its students, faculty, staff, and 
     administration as they mourn their losses and as they recover 
     from this tragic incident.

                          ____________________