Calendar No. 279

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 200

[Report No. 104–805]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the

bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

SEPTEMBER 17, 1996

Reported with amendments, referred to the House

Calendar, and ordered to be printed
IV

House Calendar No. 279

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 200

[Report No. 104–805]

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the bombing in Dhahran,

Saudi Arabia.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 24, 1996

Mr. SCARBOROUGH submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was

referred to the Committee on National Security

SEPTEMBER 17, 1996

Additional sponsors: Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DORNAN, Mr. POMBO, MR. STEARNS,

Mr. TORRICELLI, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. KLECZKA, Mrs. KENNELLY, Mr.

MCNULTY, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr.

SHADEGG, Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. TANNER, Mr. MONTGOMERY, Mr.

MCCOLLUM, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. SPRATT, Mrs. MYRICK,

Mr. HUNTER, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. KIM, Mr. MANTON, Mr.

PORTER, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr.

BARRETT of Wisconsin, Ms. PRYCE, Mr. NEY, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. ACKERMAN, and Ms. SLAUGHTER

SEPTEMBER 17, 1996

Reported with amendments, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered to

be printed

[Strike out the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic]
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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the bombing

in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Whereas the men and women killed and wounded in the June

25, 1996, bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, were defending the national security interests of the United

States;

Whereas the United States continues to shoulder the responsibility of defending not only its own national interests,

but those of Saudi Arabia, the other Gulf States, and the

free world generally, and is therefore obliged to put its

men and women in uniform in harm’s way in an environment not necessarily conducive to the culture and love of

liberty of the United States;

Whereas the men and women of the United States Armed

Forces are called upon to risk their lives against an

enemy who does not respect the historic rules of war, who

feels no remorse about striking against those who are innocent and unable to protect themselves, and who believes that such actions will lead to martyrdom and therefore is prone to launching suicide attacks against which

conventional defenses are not always adequate;

Whereas it is the solemn duty of the President, the Congress,

and the commanders of elements of the Armed Forces to

keep the Nation’s men and women in uniform as much

out of harm’s way as the nature of the mission that they

are undertaking permits, the circumstances that they

face allow, and the national security requires;

Whereas the people of the United States stand with those

who have volunteered to serve their country, and therefore grieve at the loss of those who, to quote Lincoln,
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‘‘have given their last full measure of devotion’’ to the security and well-being of the United States;

Whereas those members of the United States Army, Navy,

Air Force, and Marines that remain in Saudi Arabia or

anywhere else in the world, who stand on the ramparts

of the freedom of the United States, demonstrate a valor

and a faith in the American way of life that reflects honorably not only on themselves but upon the country that

they represent and demonstrates to friend and foe alike

the unshakable dedication of the United States to liberty

and justice; and

Whereas the men and women who lost their lives on June 25

in the bombing in Dhahran were heroes in the truest

sense of the word, exemplifying all that is best and most

virtuous in the American people: Now, therefore, be it

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 United 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
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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 all 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 measure 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 a 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, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) the 19 men and women who died in the

4 bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, should be ac5 corded all honor due to heroes;

6 (2) their memory should be recognized and held

7 fast by the Nation;
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1 (3) the families of those left behind should be

2 comforted in their sorrow; and

3 (4) those men and women who continue to serve

4 in the United States Armed Forces anywhere in the

5 world should be assured that their well-being and in6 terests will at all times be safeguarded and given the

7 highest priority by those in the Congress and the

8 Government who have sworn to uphold the Constitu9 tion and defend the interests of the Nation and its

10 people.

11 That Congress hereby—

12 (1) recognizes the 19 members of the Armed

13 Forces who died in the terrorist truck bombing in

14 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on June 25, 1996, and hon15 ors them for their service and sacrifice;

16 (2) calls upon the Nation to hold fast the mem17 ory of those who died;

18 (3) extends its sympathies to the families of those

19 who died; and

20 (4) assures the members of the Armed Forces

21 serving anywhere in the world that their well-being

22 and interests will at all times be given the highest

23 priority.

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘Concurrent resolution honoring the victims of the June 25, 1996, terrorist

bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.’’.