[House Report 104-805]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



104th Congress                                                   Report
                       HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 2nd Session                                                    104-805
_______________________________________________________________________



 
   HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE JUNE 25, 1996, TERRORIST BOMBING IN 
                         DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 OF THE

                     COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                   ON

                            H. CON. RES. 200

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

                                     


                                     

               September 17, 1996.--Ordered to be printed
                  HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
                      One Hundred Fourth Congress

 FLOYD D. SPENCE, South Carolina, 
             Chairman
RONALD V. DELLUMS, California        BOB STUMP, Arizona
G.V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY, Mississippi DUNCAN HUNTER, California
PATRICIA SCHROEDER, Colorado         JOHN R. KASICH, Ohio
IKE SKELTON, Missouri                HERBERT H. BATEMAN, Virginia
NORMAN SISISKY, Virginia             JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah
JOHN M. SPRATT, Jr., South Carolina  CURT WELDON, Pennsylvania
SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas              ROBERT K. DORNAN, California
OWEN PICKETT, Virginia               JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado
LANE EVANS, Illinois                 JIM SAXTON, New Jersey
JOHN TANNER, Tennessee               RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM, 
GLEN BROWDER, Alabama                California
GENE TAYLOR, Mississippi             STEVE BUYER, Indiana
NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii             PETER G. TORKILDSEN, Massachusetts
CHET EDWARDS, Texas                  TILLIE K. FOWLER, Florida
FRANK TEJEDA, Texas                  JOHN M. McHUGH, New York
MARTIN T. MEEHAN, Massachusetts      JAMES TALENT, Missouri
ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam            TERRY EVERETT, Alabama
JANE HARMAN, California              ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland
PAUL McHALE, Pennsylvania            HOWARD ``BUCK'' McKEON, California
PETE GEREN, Texas                    RON LEWIS, Kentucky
PETE PETERSON, Florida               J.C. WATTS, Jr., Oklahoma
WILLIAM J. JEFFERSON, Louisiana      MAC THORNBERRY, Texas
ROSA L. DeLAURO, Connecticut         JOHN N. HOSTETTLER, Indiana
MIKE WARD, Kentucky                  SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia
PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island     VAN HILLEARY, Tennessee
                                     JOE SCARBOROUGH, Florida
                                     WALTER B. JONES, Jr., North 
                                     Carolina
                                     JAMES B. LONGLEY, Jr., Maine
                                     TODD TIAHRT, Kansas
                                     RICHARD `DOC' HASTINGS, Washington
  Andrew K. Ellis, Staff Director



                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Purpose and Background...........................................     2
Legislative History..............................................     2
Committee Position...............................................     3
Fiscal Data......................................................     3
  Congressional Budget Office Estimate...........................     3
  Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate......................     3
  Committee Cost Estimate........................................     3
  Inflation-Impact Statement.....................................     3
Oversight Findings...............................................     4
Statement of Federal Mandates....................................     4
Rollcall Votes...................................................     4



104th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 2d Session                                                     104-805
_______________________________________________________________________


    HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE JUNE 25, 1996, TERRORIST BOMBING IN 
                         DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA

                                _______
                                

 September 17, 1996.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

_______________________________________________________________________


  Mr. Spence, from the Committee on National Security, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                    [To accompany H. Con. Res. 200]

    The Committee on National Security, to whom was referred 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 200) expressing the 
sense of the Congress regarding the bombing in Dhahran, Saudi 
Arabia, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 
with amendments and recommend that the concurrent resolution be 
agreed to.
    The amendments are as follows:
    Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert in 
lieu thereof the following:

    That Congress hereby--
          (1) recognizes the 19 members of the Armed Forces who died in 
        the terrorist truck bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on June 
        25, 1996, and honors them for their service and sacrifice;
          (2) calls upon the Nation to hold fast the memory of those 
        who died;
          (3) extends its sumpathies to the families of those who died; 
        and
          (4) assures the members of the Armed Forces serving anywhere 
        in the world that their well-being and interests will at all 
        times be given the highest priority.

    Amend the preamble to read as follows:

    Whereas on June 25, 1996, a terrorist truck bomb outside a military 
housing compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, killed 19 members of the 
Armed Forces and wounded hundreds of others;
    Whereas the members of the Armed Forces killed and wounded in the 
bombing were defending the national security interests of the Untied 
States;
    Whereas the defense of United States national interests continues 
to require the forward deployment of members of the Armed Forces to 
other countries;
    Whereas the members of the Armed Forces are called upon to perform 
duties that place their lives at risk from terrorist elements hostile 
to the United States;
    Whereas global terrorism has demonstrated no respect for the 
historic rules of war, no reluctance to strike against innocent and 
defenseless individuals, and a willingness to engage in tactics against 
which conventional defenses are difficult;
    Whereas it is the duty of the President and the military chain of 
command to take necessary steps to keep members of the Armed Forces 
protected and as safe as the nature of their mission permits;
    Whereas the people of the United States stand with those who have 
volunteered to serve their country and grieve at the loss of those who, 
to quote Lincoln, ``have given their last full meausre of devotion'' to 
the security and well-being of the United States;
    Whereas those members of the Armed Forces serving in Saudi Arabia 
and around the world demonstrate valor and faith in the American way of 
life that reflects honorably not only on themselves but upon the 
country that they represent; and
    Whereas the military personnel who lost their lives on June 25, 
1996, in the bombing in Dhahran died in the honorable service of their 
Nation and exemplified all that is best and most virtuous in the 
American people: Now, thereof, be it

    Amend the title so as to read:

    A concurrent resolution honoring the victims of the June 
25, 1996, terrorist bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

                         Purpose and Background

    On June 25, 1996, a terrorist truck bomb exploded outside 
the Khobar Towers housing facility in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 
killing 19 American servicemen and wounding some 200 others. 
The victims of this terrorist act were defending the security 
interests of the United States by enforcing Operation Southern 
Watch, the ``no-fly'' zone over southern Iraq.
    This attack demonstrated that global terrorism directed 
against Americans remains a serious threat particularly for 
United States military personnel due to the nature of their 
mission and high profile associated with military activities of 
the United States. While the perpetrators of the attack have 
yet to be identified, the Department of Defense continues its 
investigation into the incident.
    House Concurrent Resolution 200 would recognize the 
importance of the United States mission in Saudi Arabia, the 
threat posed by global terrorism and honor the service and 
sacrifice of those who died or were wounded in the bombing. It 
would further extend the sympathies of Congress to the families 
of those who died and assure the members of the armed forces 
serving anywhere in the world that their well being and 
interests will at all times be given the highest priority.

                          Legislative History

    House Concurrent Resolution 200 was introduced on July 24, 
1996. The measure was referred to the Committee on National 
Security.
    Although the committee did not hold any hearings 
specifically on House Concurrent Resolution 200, the committee 
has held hearings in the 104th Congress concerning the military 
situation in Iraq. In addition, the committee staff has 
conducted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding 
the terrorist bombing of the Khobar Towers housing facility in 
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
    On September 12, 1996, the Committee on National Security 
met to consider House Concurrent Resolution 200. The committee 
agreed to an amendment in the nature of a substitute that would 
make miscellaneous drafting and stylistic changes to the 
resolution as introduced. The resolution was ordered favorably 
reported to the House by a unanimous voice vote.

                           Committee Position

    On September 12, 1996, the Committee on National Security, 
a quorum being present, approved House Concurrent Resolution 
200, as amended, by a unanimous voice vote.

                              Fiscal Data

    Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, the committee attempted to ascertain annual 
outlays resulting from the resolution during fiscal year 1997 
and the four following fiscal years. The results of such 
efforts are reflected in the cost estimate prepared by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 403 
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, which is included in 
this report pursuant to clause 2(l)(3)(C) of House Rule XI.

Congressional Budget Office estimate

    In compliance with clause 2(l)(3)(C) of rule XI of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, the cost estimate 
prepared by the Congressional Budget Office and submitted 
pursuant to section 403(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 is as follows:

Congressional Budget Office cost estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 16, 1996.
Hon. Floyd Spence,
Chairman, Committee on National Security,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed H. Con. Res. 200, as ordered reported by the House 
Committee on National Security on September 12, 1996. The 
resolution would honor the victims of the terrorist bombing in 
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on June 25, 1996. CBO estimates that the 
resolution would have no impact on the budgets of federal, 
state, or local governments.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Kent 
Christensen.
            Sincerely,
                                         June E. O'Neill, Director.

Committee cost estimate

    Pursuant to clause 7(a) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the committee generally concurs with 
the estimate as contained in the report of the Congressional 
Budget Office.

Inflation-impact statement

    Pursuant to clause 2(l)(4) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the committee concludes that the 
resolution would have no significant inflationary impact.

                           Oversight Findings

    With respect to clause 2(l)(3)(A) of rule XI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, this legislation results from 
hearings and other oversight activities conducted by the 
committee pursuant to clause 2(b)(l) of rule X.
    With respect to clause 2(l)(3)(B) of rule XI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives and section 308(a)(l) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this legislation does not 
include any new spending or credit authority, nor does it 
provide for any increase or decrease in tax revenues or 
expenditures. The fiscal features of this legislation are 
addressed in the estimate prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    With respect to clause 2(l)(3)(D) of rule XI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the committee has not received 
a report from the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight 
pertaining to the subject matter of House Concurrent Resolution 
200.

                     Statement of Federal Mandates

    Pursuant to section 423 of Public Law 104-4, this 
legislation contains no federal mandates with respect to state, 
local, and tribal governments, nor with respect to the private 
sector. Similarly, the resolution would provide no unfunded 
federal intergovernmental mandates.

                             Rollcall Votes

    With respect to clause 2(l)(2)(B) of rule XI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, no rollcall votes were taken 
with respect to the committee's consideration of House 
Concurrent Resolution 200.
    The committee ordered House Concurrent Resolution 200 
reported to the House with a favorable recommendation by a 
unanimous voice vote, a quorum being present.

                                
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