III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 159 

Honoring the members of the military and intelligence community who carried 

out the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 3, 2011 

Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. ALEXANDER, Ms. 

AYOTTE, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

BINGAMAN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mrs. BOXER, 

Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. BURR, Ms. 

CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. 

COATS, Mr. COBURN, Mr. COCHRAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. 

COONS, Mr. CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mrs. 

GILLIBRAND, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mrs. HAGAN, Mr. HARKIN, 

Mr. HATCH, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. INOUYE, 

Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. JOHANNS, Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin, Mr. JOHNSON

of South Dakota, Mr. KERRY, Mr. KIRK, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KOHL, 

Mr. KYL, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEE, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MCCAIN, Mrs. 

MCCASKILL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. 

MORAN, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. 

NELSON of Florida, Mr. PAUL, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. PRYOR, Mr. REED, 

Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. SHELBY, Ms. 

SNOWE, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. TESTER, Mr. THUNE, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. 

UDALL of Colorado, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. VITTER, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WEBB, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the members of the military and intelligence comVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:25 May 03, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\SR159.ATS SR159

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•SRES 159 ATS 

munity who carried out the mission that killed Osama 

bin Laden, and for other purposes. 

Whereas, on May 1, 2011, United States personnel killed terrorist leader Osama bin Laden during the course of a 

targeted strike against his secret compound in 

Abbottabad, Pakistan; 

Whereas Osama bin Laden was the leader of the al Qaeda 

terrorist organization, the most significant terrorism 

threat to the United States and the international community; 

Whereas Osama bin Laden was the architect of terrorist attacks which killed nearly 3,000 civilians on September 

11, 2001, the most deadly terrorist attack against our 

Nation, in which al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airplanes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in 

New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and, 

due to heroic efforts by civilian passengers to disrupt the 

terrorists, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania; 

Whereas Osama bin Laden planned or supported numerous 

other deadly terrorist attacks against the United States 

and its allies, including the 1998 bombings of United 

States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 

attack on the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen, and against innocent civilians in countries around the world, including the 

2004 attack on commuter trains in Madrid, Spain and 

the 2005 bombings of the mass transit system in London, England; 

Whereas, following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 

the United States, under President George W. Bush, led 

an international coalition into Afghanistan to dismantle 

al Qaeda, deny them a safe haven in Afghanistan and 


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•SRES 159 ATS 

ungoverned areas along the Pakistani border, and bring 

Osama bin Laden to justice; 

Whereas President Barack Obama in 2009 committed additional forces and resources to efforts in Afghanistan and 

Pakistan as ‘‘the central front in our enduring struggle 

against terrorism and extremism’’; 

Whereas the valiant members of the United States Armed 

Forces have courageously and vigorously pursued al 

Qaeda and its affiliates in Afghanistan and around the 

world; 

Whereas the anonymous, unsung heroes of the intelligence 

community have pursued al Qaeda and affiliates in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and around the world with tremendous dedication, sacrifice, and professionalism; 

Whereas the close collaboration between the Armed Forces 

and the intelligence community prompted the Director of 

National Intelligence, General James Clapper, to state, 

‘‘Never have I seen a more remarkable example of focused integration, seamless collaboration, and sheer professional magnificence as was demonstrated by the Intelligence Community in the ultimate demise of Osama bin 

Laden.’’; 

Whereas, while the death of Osama bin Laden represents a 

significant blow to the al Qaeda organization and its affiliates and to terrorist organizations around the world, 

terrorism remains a critical threat to United States national security; and 

Whereas President Obama said, ‘‘For over two decades, bin 

Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has 

continued to plot attacks against our country and our 

friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the 


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•SRES 159 ATS 

most significant achievement to date in our Nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) declares that the death of Osama bin Laden 

3 represents a measure of justice and relief for the 

4 families and friends of the nearly 3,000 men and 

5 women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, 

6 the men and women in the United States and 

7 around the world who have been killed by other al 

8 Qaeda-sponsored attacks, the men and women of the 

9 United States Armed Forces and the intelligence 

10 community who have sacrificed their lives pursuing 

11 Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda; 

12 (2) commends the men and women of the 

13 United States Armed Forces and the United States 

14 intelligence community for the tremendous commit15 ment, perseverance, professionalism, and sacrifice 

16 they displayed in bringing Osama bin Laden to jus17 tice; 

18 (3) commends the men and women of the 

19 United States Armed Forces and the United States 

20 intelligence community for committing themselves to 

21 defeating, disrupting, and dismantling al Qaeda; 

22 (4) commends the President for ordering the 

23 successful operations to locate and eliminate Osama 

24 bin Laden; and 


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•SRES 159 ATS 

1 (5) reaffirms its commitment to disrupting, dis2 mantling, and defeating al Qaeda and affiliated or3 ganizations around the world that threaten United 

4 States national security, eliminating a safe haven for 

5 terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and bringing 

6 terrorists to justice. 

Æ 


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