[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11851-11852]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RELEASE OF GILAD SHALIT

  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 571, submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 571) calling for the immediate and 
     unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit held 
     captive by Hamas, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CASEY. 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 any statements be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 571) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 571

       Whereas Congress previously expressed its concern for 
     missing Israeli soldiers in the Act entitled ``An Act to 
     locate and secure the return of Zachary Baumel, a United 
     States citizen, and other soldiers missing in action'', 
     approved November 8, 1999 (Public Law 106-89; 113 Stat. 
     1305), which required the Secretary of State to raise the 
     status of missing Israeli soldiers with appropriate 
     government officials of Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian 
     Authority, and other governments in the region, and to submit 
     to Congress reports on those efforts and any subsequent 
     discovery of relevant information;
       Whereas the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 107 on 
     March 13, 2007, regarding Gilad Shalit and other Israeli 
     soldiers illegally attacked and captured by terrorists;
       Whereas Israel completed its withdrawal from Gaza on 
     September 12, 2005;
       Whereas, on June 25, 2006, Hamas together with allied 
     terrorists crossed into Israel to attack a military post, 
     killing two soldiers

[[Page 11852]]

     and wounding and kidnapping Gilad Shalit in a blatantly 
     illegal and extortionate effort to coerce the Government of 
     Israel;
       Whereas Hamas has prevented access to Gilad Shalit by 
     competent medical personnel and representatives of the 
     International Committee of the Red Cross;
       Whereas Hamas has refused to provide Gilad Shalit with 
     regular contact with his family or any other party, or to 
     allow his family to know where he is being held;
       Whereas Hamas has compelled Gilad Shalit to appear in video 
     and voice recordings intended to illegally and extortionately 
     coerce the Government of Israel; and
       Whereas Gilad Shalit has been held in captivity by Hamas 
     for almost four years: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) demands that--
       (A) Hamas immediately and unconditionally release Israeli 
     soldier Gilad Shalit; and
       (B) Hamas--
       (i) allow prompt access to the Israeli captives by 
     competent medical personnel and representatives of the 
     International Committee of the Red Cross;
       (ii) facilitate regular communication by Gilad Shalit with 
     his family and allow his family to know where he is being 
     held; and
       (iii) cease compelling Gilad Shalit to appear in video and 
     voice recordings intended to illegally and extortionately 
     coerce the Government of Israel;
       (2) expresses--
       (A) its vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the 
     welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a 
     Jewish and democratic state within recognized and secure 
     borders;
       (B) its strong support and deep interest in achieving a 
     resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the 
     creation of a democratic, viable, and independent Palestinian 
     state living in peace alongside of the State of Israel;
       (C) its ongoing concern and sympathy for the family of 
     Gilad Shalit; and
       (D) its full commitment to continue to seek the immediate 
     and unconditional release of Gilad Shalit and other missing 
     Israeli soldiers;
       (3) recalls--
       (A) the illegal and barbaric attack on and kidnapping of 
     the bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev on July 12, 
     2006, by the Iran-supported terrorist group Hezbollah; and
       (B) the missing Israeli soldiers Zecharya Baumel, Zvi 
     Feldman, and Yehuda Katz, missing since June 11, 1982, Ron 
     Arad, who was captured on October 16, 1986, Guy Hever, last 
     seen on August 17, 1997, and Majdy Halabi, last seen on May 
     24, 2005; and
       (4) condemns--
       (A) Hamas for the grossly illegal and immoral cross border 
     attack and kidnapping of Gilad Shalit; and
       (B) the Governments of Iran and Syria, the primary state 
     sponsors and patrons of Hamas, for their ongoing support for 
     international terrorism.

  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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