By: Farias	H.R. No. 1694

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