![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.489583333333333in"
height="1.15625in"}**Legislative
Bulletin...........................................April 18, 2007**

> **Contents:**
>
> **H.Res. \_\_\_ ---** Offering heartfelt condolences to the victims
> and their families regarding the horrific violence at Virginia Tech in
> Blacksburg, Virginia, and to students, faculty, administration and
> staff and their families who have been deeply affected by the tragic
> events that occurred there
>
> **H.Res. 300 ---** Commending the achievements of the Rutgers
> University women's basketball team and applauding the character and
> integrity of their student-athletes
>
> **H.Res. 276 ---** Honoring the 53,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen,
> Marines, and civilians that comprise the Nation's special operations
> forces community

**H.Res. \_\_\_ --- Offering heartfelt condolences to the victims and
their families regarding the horrific violence at Virginia Tech in
Blacksburg, Virginia, and to students, faculty, administration and staff
and their families who have been deeply affected by the tragic events
that occurred there *(Boucher, D-VA)***

**[Order of Business:]{.underline}** The resolution is scheduled for
consideration on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, under a motion to suspend
the rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary:]{.underline}** H.Res. \_\_\_ would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "offers its heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families
    regarding the horrific violence at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg,
    Virginia to the students, faculty, administration and staff and
    their families who have been deeply affected by the tragic events
    that occurred there;

-   "expresses its hope that losses from the mass shooting will lead to
    a shared national commitment to take steps that will help our
    communities prevent

such tragedies from occurring in the future; and

-   "recognizes that Virginia Tech has served as an exemplary
    institution of teaching, learning, and research for well over a
    century, and that the University's historic and proud traditions
    will carry on."

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: On April 16, 2007, the campus
of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, became the scene of
the most violent and costly mass murdered in modern American history.
Between approximately 7:15 and 11:00 a.m., 33 students and faculty,
including the gunman, were killed. President Bush visited the campus of
Virginia Tech on April 17, 2007, and stated that "This is a day of
mourning for the Virginia Tech community and it is a day of sadness for
our entire nation."

**[Committee Action:]{.underline}** H.Res. \_\_\_ will reportedly be
introduced today and referred to the Committee on Education and Labor.

**[Cost to Taxpayers:]{.underline}** H.Res. ­­\_\_\_ authorizes no
expenditures.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of Government?]{.underline}**
No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717

**H.Res. 300 --- Commending the achievements of the Rutgers University
women\'s basketball team and applauding the character and integrity of
their student-athletes *(Pallone, D-NJ)***

**[Order of Business:]{.underline}** The resolution is scheduled for
consideration on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, under a motion to suspend
the rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary:]{.underline}** H.Res. 300 would resolve that the House of
Representative:

-   "commends the amazing performance of Rutgers University women's
    basketball team in the NCAA tournament; and

-   "expresses its admiration for the achievements and character of this
    team of remarkable young women."

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: The resolution lists a number
of findings, including:

-   "on March 6, 2007, Rutgers upset top-seeded University of
    Connecticut for their first-ever Big East Championship title;

-   "the young women displayed great talent in their run to the Final
    Four of the women's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
    tournament;

-   "five freshmen played an integral role in the team's march to the
    championship game;

-   "the Lady Knights showed enormous composure with tournament wins
    against teams playing in their home States;

-   "during those 3 weeks, the Scarlet Knights brought excitement to the
    NCAA tournament and captured the hearts of basketball fans
    throughout New Jersey and across the Nation;

-   "these young women are outstanding individuals who are striving to
    reach lifetime goals both on and off the basketball court; and

-   "the Lady Knights epitomize the term student-athlete with a combined
    B+ grade point average."

**[Committee Action:]{.underline}** H.Res. 300 was introduced on April
17, 2007, and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor,
which took no official action

**[Cost to Taxpayers:]{.underline}** H.Res. 276 authorizes no
expenditures.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of Government?]{.underline}**
No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717

**H.Res. 276 --- Honoring the 53,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines,
and civilians that comprise the Nation's special operations forces
community (Drake R-VA)**

**[Order of Business:]{.underline}** The resolution is scheduled for
consideration on Wednesday, April 18, 2007, under a motion to suspend
the rules and pass the resolution.

**[Summary:]{.underline}** H.Res. 276 would resolve that the House of
Representatives:

-   "honors the sacrifices and commitment of the 53,000 soldiers,
    sailors, airmen, Marines, and civilians that comprise the Nation's
    special operations forces community and recognizes that it owes each
    and every one of them a debt of gratitude;

-   "honors the families of the Nation\'s special operations forces
    warriors who are there day-in and day-out while their loved ones are
    deployed around the world; and

-   "recognizes that the United States military should seek to replicate
    the success that the special operations forces community has created
    on the Island of Basilan in the Philippines on other fronts
    throughout the Global War on Terror."

**[Additional Information]{.underline}**: According to H.Res. 276, the
failure of operation Eagle Claw (the attempted rescue of American
hostages being held in Iran in 1980) was a direct result of the U.S.
military's inability to organize a joint special operations forces
mission. To remedy that problem, the Goldwater-Nichols Department of
Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 established legal authority for the
military to operate jointly. April 16, 2007 marks the 20th anniversary
of the establishment of United States Special Operations Command at
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

According to the resolution, special operations forces missions span a
wide operational range, including, "unconventional warfare, foreign
internal defense, civil affairs, psychological operations, information
operations, special reconnaissance, counter-proliferation, and
counterterrorism." In 2004, President Bush extended the responsibilities
of the U.S. Special Operations Command to serve "as the lead combatant
commander for planning, synchronizing, and as directed, executing global
operations against terrorist networks in coordination with other
combatant commanders."

**[Committee Action:]{.underline}** H.Res. 276 was introduced on March
27, 2007, and referred to the Armed Services Committee, which referred
the resolution to the Subcommittee on Military Personal on April 3,
2007. That same day, the resolution was referred to the Subcommittee on
Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities, which took no
official action.

**[Cost to Taxpayers:]{.underline}** H.Res. 276 authorizes no
expenditures.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of Government?]{.underline}**
No.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}** No.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Andy Koenig;
<andy.koenig@mail.house.gov>; 202-226-9717

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