Bill Text: NJ SR101 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to use reward money offered for capture of Osama bin Laden to establish a fund for benefit of returning veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-12-08 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [SR101 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-SR101-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to use reward money offered for capture of Osama bin Laden to establish a fund for benefit of returning veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging Congress to use the reward money offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden to establish a fund for the benefit of returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Whereas, On May 1, 2011, 79 American commandos in four helicopters descended on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan and carried out an operation with extraordinary courage and precision that resulted in no American casualties and the death of Osama bin Laden; and
Whereas, The concerted effort of the men and women of America's Armed Forces and the brave members of Navy SEAL Team Six who carried out the raid on bin Laden's compound eliminated a grave threat to security and freedom in the world and provided a small measure of relief and justice for the families of those killed during bin Laden's campaign of terror; and
Whereas, Osama bin Laden, the founder of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, orchestrated the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 innocent people; and
Whereas, Bin Laden and al-Qaeda perpetrated horrific acts of terrorism against the United States over a period of decades, including the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center that killed six people and injured hundreds more, the 1996 bombing of an American military base in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 American servicemen, a series of United States Embassy bombings in Africa two-years later that resulted in the deaths of 258 people, and the October 10, 2000 attack on the Navy ship USS Cole that killed 17 sailors; and
Whereas, Bin Laden formally declared a holy war against the United States in August 1996 and advanced his war through a coordinated crusade of terror against both military and civilian targets; and
Whereas, Until the time of his death, bin Laden remained a serious threat to the safety of the United States and its citizens as evidenced by a failed attempt to bomb a United States airliner on Christmas Day 2010 for which bin Laden claimed responsibility; and
Whereas, Bin Laden became one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 10 most wanted fugitives on June 7, 1999, after being indicted in a New York court for his role in the 1998 embassy bombings in Africa; and
Whereas, In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, bin Laden became one of 22 suspected terrorists on the FBI's newly created list of most wanted terrorists; and
Whereas, The United States launched a global manhunt for bin Laden entailing years of painstaking intelligence work and tremendous sacrifices on the part of the men and women who serve in America's Armed Forces and intelligence community; and
Whereas, In 2001, the United States Department of State offered a $25 million reward for information about bin Laden's whereabouts; and
Whereas, Following the raid, the White House announced that no one would receive the $25 million reward offered for finding bin Laden; and
Whereas, The elimination of Osama bin Laden is an example of our resolve that attacks on American citizens will not go unanswered and that expertly trained United States Armed Forces are capable of eliminating threats to our nation's liberty and safety; and
Whereas, Approximately 2.8 million veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; and
Whereas, Many veterans, including the members of SEAL Team Six involved in the raid, will never receive the recognition they truly deserve for their heroism because of the perpetual threat of a retaliatory attack by al-Qaeda and other bin Laden supporters; and
Whereas, The reward on bin Laden authorized by Congress should be used to establish a fund for the benefit of returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges Congress to use the reward money offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden to establish a fund for the benefit of returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, and to each member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Congress to use the reward money offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden to establish a fund for the benefit of returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On May 1, 2011, 79 American commandos in four helicopters descended on bin Laden's Abbottabad, Pakistan compound and eliminated a grave threat to liberty and freedom in the world. Bin Laden, the engineer of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, had eluded capture for over a decade. Bin Laden, and his terrorist network, al-Qaeda, are responsible for a series of terrorist acts against the United States, including the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, the 1996 bombing of an American military base in Saudi Arabia, the 1998 series of United States Embassy bombings in Africa, and the October 10, 2000 attack on the Navy ship USS Cole. After more than 10 years on the FBI's Most Wanted list, SEAL Team Six ended bin Laden's leadership of terror with unquestionable courage and deadly precision.
In 2001, the United States Department of State offered a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of bin Laden. Shortly after the successful raid of his compound by members of Navy SEAL Team Six, the White House announced that no one would receive the $25 million reward. Approximately 2.8 million veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001 under dangerous conditions often without the recognition they deserve. The members of SEAL Team Six involved in the raid will never receive the gratitude they truly deserve because each member and his family face the perpetual threat of a retaliatory attack by al-Qaeda and other bin Laden supporters.
This House respectfully urges Congress to use the $25 million reward to establish a fund for the benefit of returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
