[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1551 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1551
Expressing support for the designation of October 23, 2024, as a
national day of remembrance of the tragic 1983 terrorist bombing of the
United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 22, 2024
Mr. Pence (for himself and Ms. Stefanik) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and
in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of October 23, 2024, as a
national day of remembrance of the tragic 1983 terrorist bombing of the
United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
Whereas the United States deployed members of the Armed Forces to Lebanon in
1982 as part of a multinational peacekeeping force;
Whereas, at 6:22 a.m. local time on October 23, 1983, a truck packed with
explosives detonated outside of a building at Beirut International
Airport that served as quarters for several hundred members of the
United States Armed Forces deployed as part of the peacekeeping force;
Whereas 241 members of the Armed Forces lost their lives in the blast;
Whereas the attack killed 220 marines, members of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines
Battalion Landing Team;
Whereas October 23, 1983, was the deadliest day for the Marine Corps since the
Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945 during World War II;
Whereas, in addition to the Marine Corps casualties, 18 Navy sailors and 3 Army
soldiers were killed, and more than 100 other members of the Armed
Forces were injured;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces from 39 States and Puerto Rico died while
serving in Beirut, Lebanon, from 1982 to 1984;
Whereas, on the same day as the bombing of the Marine Corps barracks, another
suicide bomber killed 58 French paratroopers housed at another barracks
in Beirut;
Whereas this terrorist attack on October 23, 1983, followed a separate tragic
suicide bombing, on April 18, 1983, that killed 63 people, including 17
Americans, and injured 120 others in front of the United States Embassy
in Beirut; and
Whereas it is fitting and proper that the events of October 23, 1983, and the
members of the United States Armed Forces who died in Beirut on that day
are recognized and commemorated through the establishment of a national
day of remembrance on October 23: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of a national day of
remembrance for members of the United States Armed Forces who
were killed or injured by the terrorist attack on the United
States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 23,
1983;
(2) honors the Gold Star Families who lost their loved ones
more than three decades ago;
(3) remembers the faith and loyalty of the soldiers,
sailors, and marines who laid down their lives to protect our
freedoms; and all veterans who have so nobly worn the uniform
of our Armed Forces; and
(4) encourages the people of the United States to honor the
fallen by supporting and participating in appropriate
ceremonies, programs, and other activities in observance of
such a national day of remembrance.
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