Title: A resolution honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces and veterans and condemning the disgraceful denigration by President Donald Trump of military service, prisoners of war, and Gold Star families.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This resolution honors service members and veterans, condemns the President's denigration of members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and demands that the President defend members of the Armed Forces against hostile actions by Russia.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 685 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 685

  Honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States 
Armed Forces and veterans and condemning the disgraceful denigration by 
President Donald Trump of military service, prisoners of war, and Gold 
                             Star families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 9, 2020

  Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Reed, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
    Jones, Mr. Carper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Tester, Mrs. 
   Shaheen, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Warren, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
 Sanders, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
   Coons, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Murphy, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Brown, Ms. Smith, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Bennet, Ms. 
    Rosen, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Warner, Mr. Booker, Mr. Udall, Mr. 
  Heinrich, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Markey, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
Merkley, and Ms. Harris) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States 
Armed Forces and veterans and condemning the disgraceful denigration by 
President Donald Trump of military service, prisoners of war, and Gold 
                             Star families.

Whereas the Nation owes an unmeasurable debt to all those individuals who have 
        served in the United States Armed Forces, often shouldering the burden 
        of long periods away from home, difficult and frequently dangerous 
        training and deployments, and inherent physical, mental, and emotional 
        risks;
Whereas the families, communities, and loved ones of members of the Armed Forces 
        support them in countless ways, frequently making sacrifices of their 
        own, especially Gold Star families;
Whereas many who love this country have served in conflicts throughout the 
        Nation's history, whether volunteering so another would not have to go 
        or answering the call when drafted, or out of a profound and selfless 
        sense of duty, some never returning home, some still missing, and some 
        who suffered immense hardship as prisoners of war;
Whereas one of the highest honors and solemn responsibilities of serving as 
        President of the United States is to be Commander in Chief of the Armed 
        Forces;
Whereas faithful execution of this constitutional duty requires, at a minimum, 
        that the Commander in Chief forcefully defend the safety of members of 
        the Armed Forces against foreign adversaries, such as President of the 
        Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin;
Whereas the Commander in Chief has a duty to uphold good order and discipline in 
        the Armed Forces by refusing to issue unconstitutional orders, refusing 
        to pardon and excuse those in uniform who commit crimes, and refusing to 
        use rhetoric that seeks to divide military personnel from their senior 
        leaders;
Whereas the Nation honors the service and sacrifice of members of the Armed 
        Forces and veterans who placed the mission first and refused to leave a 
        fallen comrade, never asking what was in it for them, but, rather, 
        setting aside selfish interests in defense of the Nation;
Whereas a lack of respect for individuals who served in uniform is a 
        disqualifying characteristic for service as President;
Whereas President Trump repeatedly disrespected members of the Armed Forces, and 
        demonstrated a fundamental ignorance of the ethos of military service--

    (1) when President Trump dehumanized members in saying of such members 
that ``[w]e train our boys to be killing machines, then prosecute them when 
they kill!'';

    (2) when President Trump pardoned members convicted of actions that 
violate the laws of war, thereby valorizing war crimes and contempt for the 
rule of law and unethical warfighting, and undermining good order and 
discipline;

    (3) when President Trump dismissed traumatic brain injury as 
``headaches'' and described an incident of members suffering traumatic 
brain injuries as a result of missile strikes as ``not very serious'';

    (4) when President Trump denigrated the military service of the late 
Senator John McCain by claiming that ``[h]e's not a war hero. He's a war 
hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured'';

    (5) when President Trump failed to speak of Gold Star parents with 
honor and respect;

    (6) when President Trump sought to humiliate a decorated military 
officer, who was awarded the Purple Heart, by forcing White House security 
to escort the officer off the property when removing him from the National 
Security Council; and

    (7) when President Trump failed to honor the solemn responsibility of 
the Commander in Chief to offer comfort to the families of members killed 
in action on his watch; and

Whereas President Trump has failed to publicly condemn, warn, or even criticize 
        President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, following public 
        reports that Russia offered bounties for the killing of members of the 
        Armed Forces: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the denigration by President Donald Trump of 
        members of the United States Armed Forces and veterans;
            (2) affirms that the service and sacrifice of individuals 
        who serve the Nation in uniform, refuse to leave a fallen 
        comrade behind and never retreat in the face of grave danger, 
        as exemplified by the United States Marines who demonstrated 
        bravery, grit, and valor in prevailing in the fierce Battle of 
        Belleau Wood during World War I, reflect the true character of 
        our country that makes America great;
            (3) will honor and never forget the sacrifices and bravery 
        of members of the Armed Forces who became prisoners of war or 
        went missing in action;
            (4) will respect, honor, and care for the service-disabled 
        veterans who have borne the battle in defense of the Nation, 
        recognizing that wounds of war are earned by those who set 
        aside selfish interests; and
            (5) demands that President Donald Trump uphold his oath of 
        office and constitutional duty as Commander in Chief of the 
        Armed Forces to defend members of the Armed Forces against 
        hostile actions by leaders and military forces of the Russian 
        Federation.
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