Sens. Cruz, Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Honoring Beirut Bombing Victims

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I,  along with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced a resolution that would designate October 23rd 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.

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. We honor their sacrifice by remembering their service, and resolving to continue battling against the threat that Iran poses to the United States.

"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 Sen. Cotton.

"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 Sen. Whitehouse. "We are eternally grateful for their sacrifice and continue to fight for restitution for the victims' families."

"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 Sen. 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."

Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), 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) joined as original cosponsors.

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.