Senate Resolution 96--Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of the Attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building

SENATE RESOLUTION 96--COMMEMORATING THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK ON THE ALFRED P. MURRAH FEDERAL BUILDING

Mr. INHOFE (for himself and Mr. COBURN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

S. Res. 96

Whereas on April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m. Central Daylight Time, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the United States was attacked in one of the worst terrorist attacks on United States soil, which killed 168 people and injured more than 850 others;

Whereas this dastardly act of domestic terrorism affected thousands of families and horrified millions of people across the State of Oklahoma and the United States;

Whereas the people of Oklahoma and the United States responded to this tragedy through the remarkable efforts of local, State, and Federal law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency services, search and rescue teams from across the United States, public and private medical personnel, and thousands of volunteers from the community who saved lives, assisted the injured and wounded, comforted the bereaved, and provided meals and support to those who came to Oklahoma City to help those endangered and affected by this terrorist act;

Whereas the people of Oklahoma and the United States pledged themselves to build and maintain a permanent national memorial to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever;

Whereas this pledge was fulfilled by creating the Oklahoma City National Memorial, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world every year to the site of this tragic event in United States history;

Whereas the Oklahoma City National Memorial brings comfort, strength, peace, hope, and serenity to the many visitors who come to the memorial and its museum each year to remember and to learn;

Whereas the mission of the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, to aid the Nation's emergency responders in preventing terrorist attacks, or mitigating their effects, should be promoted; and

Whereas the tenth anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is on April 19, 2005: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) joins with the people of the United States in sending best wishes and prayers to the families, friends, and neighbors of the 168 people killed in the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;

(2) sends Congress' best wishes and thoughts to those injured in the bombing and its gratitude for their recovery;

(3) thanks the thousands of first responders, rescue workers, medical personnel, and volunteers from the Oklahoma City community and across the Nation who answered the call for help that April morning and in the days and weeks thereafter;

(4) resolves to work with the people of the United States to promote the goals and mission established by the Oklahoma City National Memorial on the tenth anniversary of that fateful day;

(5) supports the resolve for the future, written on the wall of the memorial, ``We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope, and serenity.'';

(6) designates the week of April 17, 2005, as the National Week of Hope, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing;

(7) calls on the people of the United States to participate in the events scheduled for each day of that week to teach a lesson of hope in the midst of political violence and to teach that good endures in the world even among those who commit bad acts and further to teach that there is a way to resolve differences other than resorting to terrorism or violence, including the--

(A) Day of Faith;

(B) Day of Understanding;

(C) Day of Remembrance;

(D) Day of Sharing;

(E) Day of Tolerance;

(F) Day of Caring; and

(G) Day of Inspiration;

(8) congratulates the people of Oklahoma City for making tremendous progress over the past decade and demonstrating their steadfast commitment to the ability of hope to triumph over violence;

(9) applauds the people of Oklahoma City as they continue to persevere and to stand as a beacon to the rest of the Nation and the world attesting to the strength of goodness in overcoming evil wherever it arises in our midst; and

(10) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Memorial Foundation, as an expression of appreciation.

Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I rise today along with my colleague, TOM COBURN, to introduce a resolution to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The attack occurred at 9:02 a.m. Central Daylight Time on April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 168 Americans lost their lives while more than 850 others were injured. This terrible act of domestic terrorism affected thousands of families across the State of Oklahoma and the United States. I thank the local, State and Federal law enforcement, firefighters and emergency services and search and rescue teams across the United States, public and private medical personnel, and thousands of volunteers from the community who saved lives, assisted the injured, comforted the grieving, and provided meals and support to those who came to help the people of Oklahoma. I applaud the people of Oklahoma for making tremendous progress over the past decade and for demonstrating their steadfast commitment to triumph over violence and stand behind them as they continue to persevere. I am privileged to be from the great state of Oklahoma and encourage my colleagues to join me in commemorating the tenth anniversary of the attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

http://thomas.loc.gov/