IV

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 200

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

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
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•HCON 200 IH

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,

‘‘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
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•HCON 200 IH

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;

8 (3) the families of those left behind should be

9 comforted in their sorrow; and

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

11 in the United States Armed Forces anywhere in the

12 world should be assured that their well-being and in13 terests will at all times be safeguarded and given the

14 highest priority by those in the Congress and the

15 Government who have sworn to uphold the Constitu16 tion and defend the interests of the Nation and its

17 people.

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