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. ACKER-
MAN, 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]
•HCON 200 RH
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 de-
fending the national security interests of the United
States;
Whereas the United States continues to shoulder the respon-
sibility 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 environ-
ment 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 in-
nocent and unable to protect themselves, and who be-
lieves that such actions will lead to martyrdom and there-
fore 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 there-
fore grieve at the loss of those who, to quote Lincoln,
•HCON 200 RH
‘‘have given their last full measure of devotion’’ to the se-
curity 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 hon-
orably 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 mem-
bers 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
•HCON 200 RH
willingness to engage in tactics against which conven-
tional 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
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the 19 men and women who died in the
bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, should be ac-
corded all honor due to heroes;
(2) their memory should be recognized and held
fast by the Nation;
•HCON 200 RH
(3) the families of those left behind should be
comforted in their sorrow; and
(4) those men and women who continue to serve
in the United States Armed Forces anywhere in the
world should be assured that their well-being and in-
terests will at all times be safeguarded and given the
highest priority by those in the Congress and the
Government who have sworn to uphold the Constitu-
tion and defend the interests of the Nation and its
people.
That Congress hereby—
(1) recognizes the 19 members of the Armed
Forces who died in the terrorist truck bombing in
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on June 25, 1996, and hon-
ors them for their service and sacrifice;
(2) calls upon the Nation to hold fast the mem-
ory of those who died;
(3) extends its sympathies to the families of those
who died; and
(4) assures the members of the Armed Forces
serving anywhere in the world that their well-being
and interests will at all times be given the highest
priority.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘Concurrent resolu-
tion honoring the victims of the June 25, 1996, terrorist
bombing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.’’.