January 6, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S149 

Whereas the Hamas terror organization’s 

charter calls for the destruction of the state 

of Israel; 

Whereas Palestinian terrorists of the Islamic Jihad and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, recently have fired hundreds of rockets at civilian targets in southern Israel, ending a 6- 

month ceasefire with Israel, in declaration 

and in deed; 

Whereas, during the 6-month ‘‘state of 

calm’’, the Government of Israel allowed the 

entry of approximately 17,000 truckloads of 

humanitarian aid supplies into the Gaza 

Strip, while Palestinian terrorists launched 

538 rockets and mortars into Israel; 

Whereas the latest terrorist attacks on 

Israel took place only days after the United 

Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 

1850, which unanimously declared support for 

the peace process between the Palestinians 

and Israelis; 

Whereas, since the most recent terrorist 

attacks and its military operation that 

began on December 27, 2008, the Government 

of Israel has allowed the entry of hundreds of 

truckloads of humanitarian aid supplies into 

the Gaza Strip, in full coordination with 

donor Arab countries and international aid 

organizations, including the Red Cross, out 

of respect for human rights and human life 

and in an effort to minimize the hardship 

and suffering of the Palestinian people; 

Whereas the military operations of the 

Government of Israel constitute an effort to 

defend the people of Israel, which is the Government’s moral duty in response to the unspeakable horrors of ongoing, indiscriminate 

terrorism, and are aimed only at dimantling 

the terrorist infrastructure; and 

Whereas hundreds of innocent Israeli and 

Palestinian civilians tragically have been 

killed on account of ongoing escalations of 

violence initiated by Palestinian terrorist 

organizations: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Senate— 

(1) stands in solidarity with the Government of Israel as it takes necessary steps to 

provide security to its people; 

(2) remains committed to Israel’s right to 

self-defense and supports additional assistance from the United States to help Israel 

defend itself; 

(3) condemns the end of the ceasefire by 

Hamas; 

(4) condemns the firing of rockets into civilian areas by the terrorist groups of Hamas 

and the Islamic Jihad; 

(5) urges all Arab states to declare strong 

opposition to terrorism and terrorist attacks 

on civilians; 

(6) urges all parties in the Middle East to 

pursue lasting peace in the region; and 

(7) expresses its commitment to working to 

promote economic relations, bilateral trade, 

and partnerships in technology and alternative energy between the United States and 

Israel in order to stimulate the economies of 

both the United States and Israel in this 

time of crisis. 

f 

SENATE RESOLUTION 7—EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE 

REGARDING DESIGNATION OF 

THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER AS 

‘‘NATIONAL MILITARY FAMILY 

MONTH’’ 

Mr. INOUYE submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary: 

S. RES. 7 

Whereas military families, through their 

sacrifices and their dedication to the United 

States and its values, represent the bedrock 

upon which the United States was founded 

and upon which the country continues to 

rely in these perilous and challenging times: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That— 

(1) it is the sense of the Senate that the 

month of November should be designated as 

‘‘National Military Family Month’’; and 

(2) the Senate encourages the people of the 

United States to observe National Military 

Family Month with appropriate ceremonies 

and activities. 

Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today I 

rise to honor all our military families 

by introducing a resolution to designate November as National Military 

Family Month. As we all know, memories fade, and the hardships experienced by our military families are easily forgotten unless they touch our own 

immediate family. 

Today, we have our men and women 

deployed all over the world, engaged in 

this war on terrorism. These far-ranging military deployments are extremely difficult on the families who 

bear this heavy burden. 

To honor these families, the Armed 

Services YMCA has sponsored Military 

Family Week in late November since 

1996. However, due to frequent ‘‘short 

week’’ conflicts around the Thanksgiving holidays, the designated week 

has not always afforded enough time to 

schedule observances on and near our 

military bases. 

I believe a month long observation 

will allow greater opportunity to plan 

events. Moreover, it will provide a 

greater opportunity to stimulate media 

support. 

A concurrent Resolution will help 

pave the way for this effort. I ask my 

colleagues to join me in supporting 

this tribute to our military families. 

f 

SENATE RESOLUTION 8—RELATIVE 

TO THE DEATH OF THE HONORABLE CLAIBORNE DE BORDA 

PELL, FORMER UNITED STATES 

SENATOR FOR THE STATE OF 

RHODE ISLAND 

Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. REED, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. 

AKAKA, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. BARRASSO, 

Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. BAYH, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. 

BENNETT, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. BINGAMAN, 

Mr. BOND, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BROWN, Mr. 

BROWNBACK, Mr. BUNNING, Mr. BURR, 

Mr. BYRD, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. 

CHAMBLISS, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. COBURN, 

Mr. COCHRAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. 

CONRAD, Mr. CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. 

CRAPO, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. DODD, Mr. 

DORGAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. 

ENZI, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. 

GREGG, Mrs. HAGAN, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. 

HATCH, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. INHOFE, 

Mr. INOUYE, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. JOHANNS, 

Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KERRY, 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KOHL, Mr. KYL, 

Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. 

LEAHY, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mrs. 

LINCOLN, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. MARTINEZ, 

Mr. MCCAIN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Ms. MIKULSKI, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. 

NELSON of Florida, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. PRYOR, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. SALAZAR, 

Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. SHELBY, Ms. 

SNOWE, Mr. SPECTER, Ms. STABENOW, 

Mr. TESTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. UDALL of 

Colorado, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, 

Mr. VITTER, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WEBB, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. 

WYDEN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to: 

S. RES. 8 

Whereas Claiborne Pell represented the 

people of Rhode Island with distinction for 36 

years in the United States Senate, from 1961 

to 1997, and was the longest-serving Senator 

in Rhode Island’s history; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell served in the 

United States Coast Guard and the Coast 

Guard Reserve, beginning in 1941 and retiring 

in 1978 with the rank of Captain; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell participated in the 

1945 United Nations Conference on International Organization that established the 

United Nations, and was a champion of the 

United Nations throughout his life; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell served as a Foreign 

Service Officer from 1945 to 1952; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell sponsored the legislation that, in 1965, created the National 

Endowment for the Arts and the National 

Endowment for the Humanities and, in 1966, 

created the National Sea Grant College and 

Program; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell’s vision led to the 

creation of an improved passenger rail system in the Northeast and across the United 

States; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell believed that economic means should not be a barrier to a 

higher education and sponsored legislation 

creating the Basic Educational Opportunity 

Grants in 1972, which were renamed ‘‘Pell 

Grants’’ in 1980; 

Whereas Pell Grants have helped 54,000,000 

people in the United States secure a higher 

education; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell sought to expand 

educational opportunities throughout his 

tenure as a member and as Chairman of the 

Senate Subcommittee on Education, Arts 

and Humanities; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell served as Chairman 

of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in the 100th through 103rd Congresses; 

Whereas Claiborne Pell was a champion of 

human rights who devoted himself to promoting a peaceful resolution to international conflict and the elimination of the 

threat of nuclear weapons; and 

Whereas the hallmarks of Claiborne Pell’s 

public service were unsurpassed respect, decency, and civility: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That— 

(1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the 

death of the Honorable Claiborne Pell, 

former member of the United States Senate; 

(2) the Secretary of the Senate communicate these resolutions to the House of Representatives and transmit an enrolled copy 

thereof to the family of the deceased; and 

(3) that when the Senate adjourns today, it 

stand adjourned as a further mark of respect 

to the memory of the Honorable Claiborne 

Pell. 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with SENATE