Sens. Cruz, Cotton, and Colleagues Introduce Resolution Honoring Beirut Bombing Victims
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), along with Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced a resolution that would designate today as 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.
Text of the resolution may be found here.
Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said:
"We must never forget on this anniversary, we honor the grave sacrifice made by the 241 men and women of our Armed Forces that were murdered by Iran's terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, in 1983. This anniversary is a somber reminder of the threat Iran still poses to the United States and our allies, and I am proud to support this resolution to ensure we continue to unapologetically stand up to the evil Iranian regime."
Sen. Cotton said:
"This fateful day in 1983 marks the deadliest day for the Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima. Iran's terrorist proxy Hezbollah killed 220 Marines, along with 21 other service members across our Armed Forces. Our resolution makes certain that our nation remembers their sacrifice on the anniversary of their tragic deaths."
Sen. Jones said:
"In 1983, the lives of over 220 Americans were tragically lost in a brazen and cowardly attack on a Marine compound in Beirut, Lebanon. Today, 37 years later, we continue to honor the memory of these brave Americans and their ultimate sacrifices for our freedom. We must never forget them or the families they left behind."
Sen. Rubio said:
"Thirty seven years ago, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist group, attacked the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut killing 241 U.S. Service Members. I am proud to join this bipartisan resolution, which would designate October 23, 2020 as a national day of remembrance in honor of the American heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty."
Sen. Young said:
"The deadly barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, on this day in 1983 took the lives of 220 Marines and 21 other military personnel serving on a mission of peace. Honoring the sacrifice of my fellow Marines, and all those who lost loved ones in the bombing, is the least we can do to pay tribute to these heroes. I'm proud to introduce this resolution to mark today as a national day of remembrance for the fearless members of the United States Armed Forces who fell for our country 37 years ago."
BACKGROUND:
On October 23, 1983, an Iranian national drove a truck bomb into the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The devastating bombing killed 220 Marines and dozens of other personnel. The attack was perpetrated by Hezbollah, a terror group founded, trained, and financially supported by the Iranian regime.
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