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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, On September 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden, a sworn |
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enemy of the United States of America, coordinated a series of |
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monstrous and cowardly terrorist attacks that resulted in the |
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tragic loss of 2,977 innocent lives, leading to an engagement in a |
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war on terrorism, across many fronts; |
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WHEREAS, On May 1, 2011, after nearly ten years of bin Laden's |
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evasion of military and intelligence forces seeking his capture, |
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President Barack Obama declared to the nation and the world that bin |
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Laden had finally been killed, and that, "Justice has been done." |
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WHEREAS, The president's patience, leadership, wisdom, and |
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determination have led directly to the demise of the most wanted man |
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in the world, and have hardened this nation's resolve to defeat the |
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forces of malevolent fanaticism, and by destroying the mastermind |
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behind the worst terrorist attack on American soil he has struck a |
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significant and historic blow against Al Qaeda; |
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WHEREAS, Following the death of the perpetrator of the |
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attacks, the family members and friends of those who lost their |
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lives in the attacks on September 11 are able to achieve a greater |
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sense of closure; |
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WHEREAS, After months of meetings of the National Security |
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Council, led by President Obama who directed intelligence officials |
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to zero in on bin Laden's whereabouts, intelligence officials |
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devised and carefully carried out a clandestine operation, which |
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had frequently been rehearsed in an effort to minimize casualties, |
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both civilian and military; |
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WHEREAS, As Commander-in-Chief of our great nation, he boldly |
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gave the final authorization to commence the operation to brave and |
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highly trained members of our nation's armed services; |
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WHEREAS, Upon hearing the news of bin Laden's elimination, in |
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an impressive show of unity and in defiance of the fanatics who |
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still today seek to destroy our free way of life, jubilant citizens |
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expressed pride in our nation and our president by spontaneously |
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celebrating the news in cities across the country, singing "The |
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Star Spangled Banner" and loudly chanting "U-S-A", and former |
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presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have offered him their |
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congratulations; |
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WHEREAS, Domestically, he has acted with both initiative and |
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organizational acumen toward the precautionary defense of our |
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citizens, and has successfully prevented a terrorist attack on |
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American soil during his service to our nation as president; |
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WHEREAS, Internationally, he has wisely exercised the use of |
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diplomacy to nurture collaborative relationships with other |
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nations, which has helped improve the freedom and safety of the |
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world's people; and |
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WHEREAS, President George W. Bush had the near universal |
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support of the freedom-loving peoples and countries of the world |
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after the attacks on September 11, 2001 when he famously pledged to |
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defend freedom against fear, saying, "We will not tire, we will not |
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falter, and we will not fail," and President Obama had the strength |
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and wherewithal to see that pledge through to fulfillment; and |
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WHEREAS, Legislators in Texas reaffirm the solemn creed that |
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we are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice |
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for all, who stand strongly behind the president with respect to |
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these several issues as he confronts the grave problems of national |
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and international security; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby congratulate President Obama on his proven and successful |
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policies in the war on terrorism and in homeland security; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commends the intelligence personnel who diligently and |
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quietly toiled for years to uncover the whereabouts of bin Laden, |
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and whose achievement, while historic, may never be fully known to |
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the public; |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commends the members of the armed forces who successfully |
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and heroically carried out an incredibly sensitive mission with no |
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military losses and with a minimal loss of civilian lives; |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the |
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senate of the United States Congress, to the governor of Texas, and |
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to all the members of the Texas delegation to the congress with the |
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request that this resolution be officially entered in the |
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Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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States of America. |