Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), along with Senators John Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Doug Jones (D-Alabama), Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia) 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.
“On this solemn anniversary, we honor the nine Rhode Island Marines and all of the service members who were killed in a terror attack while serving on a peacekeeping mission in Beirut,” said Whitehouse. “We are eternally grateful for their sacrifice and continue to fight for restitution for the victims’ families.”
“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 servicemembers across our Armed Forces. Our resolution makes certain that our nation remembers their sacrifice on the anniversary of their tragic deaths,” said Cotton.
“Iran and its proxies have the blood of thousands of Americans on their hands, including the 241 men and women of the Armed Forces killed on October 23, 1983,” Cruz said. “Today we honor their sacrifice by remembering their service, and resolving to continue battling against the threat that Iran poses to the United States.”
“The Camp Lejeune family remembers October 23, 1983 with a heavy heart, where North Carolina tragically lost loved ones to the Beirut barracks bombings carried out by Hezbollah terrorists,” said Tillis. “North Carolina is the proud home of the Beirut Memorial to remember the 241 American peacekeepers who lost their lives on that fateful day, and I am honored to co-sponsor the resolution to designate today as a day of remembrance for those who were killed or injured.”
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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