[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6454]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 159--HONORING THE MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND 
 INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WHO CARRIED OUT THE MISSION THAT KILLED OSAMA 
                   BIN LADEN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. REID of Nevada (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Akaka, Mr. 
Alexander, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Begich, Mr. 
Bennet, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Blumental, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. 
Boxer, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Burr, Ms. 
Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Coats, 
Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cochran, Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Coons, Mr. 
Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Ensign, Mr. 
Enzi, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Franken, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr. 
Grassley, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. 
Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johanns, Mr. 
Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kirk, 
Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. 
Leahy, Mr. Lee, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Manchin, Mr. 
McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Milulski, Mr. 
Moran, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Nelson 
of Florida, Mr. Paul, Mr. Portman, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed of Rhode Island, 
Mr. Risch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Schumer, Mr. Sessions, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Shelby, Ms. Snowe, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. 
Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Warner, Mr. Webb, Mr. Whitehouse, 
Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which 
was submitted and read:

                              S. Res. 159

       Whereas, on May 1, 2011, United States personnel killed 
     terrorist leader Osama bin Laden during the course of a 
     targeted strike against his secret compound in Abbottabad, 
     Pakistan;
       Whereas Osama bin Laden was the leader of the al Qaeda 
     terrorist organization, the most significant terrorism threat 
     to the United States and the international community;
       Whereas Osama bin Laden was the architect of terrorist 
     attacks which killed nearly 3,000 civilians on September 11, 
     2001, the most deadly terrorist attack against our Nation, in 
     which al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airplanes and crashed 
     them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the 
     Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and, due to heroic efforts by 
     civilian passengers to disrupt the terrorists, near 
     Shanksville, Pennsylvania;
       Whereas Osama bin Laden planned or supported numerous other 
     deadly terrorist attacks against the United States and its 
     allies, including the 1998 bombings of United States 
     embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 attack on the 
     U.S.S. Cole in Yemen, and against innocent civilians in 
     countries around the world, including the 2004 attack on 
     commuter trains in Madrid, Spain and the 2005 bombings of the 
     mass transit system in London, England;
       Whereas, following the September 11, 2001, terrorist 
     attacks, the United States, under President George W. Bush, 
     led an international coalition into Afghanistan to dismantle 
     al Qaeda, deny them a safe haven in Afghanistan and 
     ungoverned areas along the Pakistani border, and bring Osama 
     bin Laden to justice;
       Whereas President Barack Obama in 2009 committed additional 
     forces and resources to efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan 
     as ``the central front in our enduring struggle against 
     terrorism and extremism'';
       Whereas the valiant members of the United States Armed 
     Forces have courageously and vigorously pursued al Qaeda and 
     its affiliates in Afghanistan and around the world;
       Whereas the anonymous, unsung heroes of the intelligence 
     community have pursued al Qaeda and affiliates in 
     Afghanistan, Pakistan, and around the world with tremendous 
     dedication, sacrifice, and professionalism;
       Whereas the close collaboration between the Armed Forces 
     and the intelligence community prompted the Director of 
     National Intelligence, General James Clapper, to state, 
     ``Never have I seen a more remarkable example of focused 
     integration, seamless collaboration, and sheer professional 
     magnificence as was demonstrated by the Intelligence 
     Community in the ultimate demise of Osama bin Laden.'';
       Whereas, while the death of Osama bin Laden represents a 
     significant blow to the al Qaeda organization and its 
     affiliates and to terrorist organizations around the world, 
     terrorism remains a critical threat to United States national 
     security; and
       Whereas President Obama said, ``For over two decades, bin 
     Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has 
     continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends 
     and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant 
     achievement to date in our Nation's effort to defeat al 
     Qaeda.'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) declares that the death of Osama bin Laden represents a 
     measure of justice and relief for the families and friends of 
     the nearly 3,000 men and women who lost their lives on 
     September 11, 2001, the men and women in the United States 
     and around the world who have been killed by other al Qaeda-
     sponsored attacks, the men and women of the United States 
     Armed Forces and the intelligence community who have 
     sacrificed their lives pursuing Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda;
       (2) commends the men and women of the United States Armed 
     Forces and the United States intelligence community for the 
     tremendous commitment, perseverance, professionalism, and 
     sacrifice they displayed in bringing Osama bin Laden to 
     justice;
       (3) commends the men and women of the United States Armed 
     Forces and the United States intelligence community for 
     committing themselves to defeating, disrupting, and 
     dismantling al Qaeda;
       (4) commends the President for ordering the successful 
     operations to locate and eliminate Osama bin Laden; and
       (5) reaffirms its commitment to disrupting, dismantling, 
     and defeating al Qaeda and affiliated organizations around 
     the world that threaten United States national security, 
     eliminating a safe haven for terrorists in Afghanistan and 
     Pakistan, and bringing terrorists to justice.

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