21 March 2003
Text: Senate Resolution Backs U.S. Armed Forces and Commander-in-Chief
(S. Res. 95 passes by 99-0 vote) (760) The Senate passed, by a 99-0 vote, a resolution backing the U.S. Armed Forces engaged in the liberation of Iraq, and expressed support for President Bush as Commander-in-Chief March 20. The Senate passed Senate Resolution 95 (S. Res. 95) late in the evening of March 20, after a debate wherein senators from across the aisle rallied to the support of the U.S.-led coalition against the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Senator William Frist (Republican of Tennessee) the Senate Majority Leader introduced the resolution, along with Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (Democrat of South Dakota) and Senator John Warner (Republican of Virginia), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Carl Levin (Democrat of Michigan), the ranking Democrat on that committee. Frist had 98 co-sponsors of S. Res. 95 , only Senator Zell Miller (Democrat of Georgia), who was absent due to a family emergency was not on that list. The resolution "commends and supports the efforts and leadership of the President, as Commander in Chief, in the conflict against Iraq." S. Res. 95 goes on to commend and to express "the gratitude of the Nation to all members of the United States Armed Forces." The resolution also expressed "sincere gratitude to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his government for their courageous and steadfast support, as well as gratitude to other allied nations for their military support, logistical support, and other assistance in the campaign against Saddam Hussein's regime." Following is the text of Senate Resolution 95 from the Congressional Record: (begin text) COMMENDING THE PRESIDENT AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Senate March 20, 2003 SENATE RESOLUTION 95 Commending the President and the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Submitted by Senators FRIST, DASCHLE, WARNER and LEVIN. Whereas Saddam Hussein has failed to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions 678, 686, 687, 688, 707, 715, 949, 1051, 1060, 1115, 1134, 1137, 1154, 1194, 1205, 1284, and 1441; Whereas the military action now underway against Iraq is lawful and fully authorized by the Congress in Sec. 3(a) of Public Law 107-243, which passed the Senate on October 10, 2002, by a vote of 77-23, and which passed the House of Representatives on that same date by a vote of 296-133; Whereas more than 225,000 men and women of the United States Armed Forces are now involved in conflict against Iraq; Whereas over 200,000 members of the Reserves and National Guard have been called to active duty for the conflict against Iraq and other purposes; and Whereas the Congress and the American people have the greatest pride in the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, and the civilian personnel supporting them, and strongly support them in their efforts; Now therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that Congress-- (1) commends and supports the efforts and leadership of the President, as Commander in Chief, in the conflict against Iraq; (2) commends, and expenses the gratitude of the Nation to all members of the United States Armed Forces (whether on active duty, in the National Guard, or in the Reserves) and the civilian employees who support their efforts, as well as the men and women of civilian national security agencies who are participating in the military operations in the Persian Gulf region, for their professional excellence, dedicated patriotism and exemplary bravery; (3) commends and expresses the gratitude of the Nation to the family members of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians serving in operations against Iraq who have borne the burden of sacrifice and separation from their loved ones; (4) expresses its deep condolences to the families of brave Americans who have lost their lives in this noble undertaking, over many years, against Iraq; (5) joins all Americans in remembering those who lost their lives during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in 1991, those still missing from that conflict, including Captain Scott Speicher, USN, and the thousands of Americans who have lost their lives in terrorist attacks over the years, and in the Global War in Terrorism; and (6) expresses sincere gratitude to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his government for their courageous and steadfast support, as well as gratitude to other allied nations for their military support, logistical support, and other assistance in the campaign against Saddam Hussein's regime. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
