Full Text of HR0809 96th General Assembly
HR0809 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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HR0809 |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Since the commission in 1962 of the United States | 3 |
| Navy Sea, Air and Land Forces, commonly known as the Navy | 4 |
| SEALs, the organization's members have distinguished | 5 |
| themselves as a highly-skilled and disciplined maritime force | 6 |
| and have played a significant role in U.S. military operations | 7 |
| around the world, including the current wars in Iraq and | 8 |
| Afghanistan; and
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| WHEREAS, Among the members of the Navy SEALs are 3 | 10 |
| courageous men who have honorably served our nation in a time | 11 |
| of war, including tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan; Petty | 12 |
| Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe, originally of Perrysburg, | 13 |
| Ohio, served on the amphibious assault ship Belleau Wood before | 14 |
| training in special warfare; Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan | 15 |
| Keefe, originally from Yorktown, Virginia, enlisted in 2006 and | 16 |
| began his SEAL training that same year; and Petty Officer 1st | 17 |
| Class Julio Huertas, originally from Blue Island, Illinois, who | 18 |
| enlisted in 1999 and has served in special warfare units since | 19 |
| 2002; and
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| WHEREAS, Recently, these 3 Navy SEALs were arraigned and | 21 |
| are facing court martial after a detainee complained to Iraqi | 22 |
| authorities that he suffered a "bloody lip" while in the | 23 |
| custody of Americans; and
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| WHEREAS, After the 3 SEALs refused to accept non-judicial | 2 |
| sentences, they were charged with dereliction of duty and | 3 |
| making a false statement; in addition, Petty Officer McCabe was | 4 |
| charged with one count of assault on a detainee and Petty | 5 |
| Officer Huertas was charged with impeding an investigation; and
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| WHEREAS, The charges stem from an incident in early | 7 |
| September of 2009 after the 3 Navy SEALs captured and allegedly | 8 |
| punched in the stomach Ahmed Hashim Abed, a man believed to be | 9 |
| the mastermind behind the killing and mutilation of 4 United | 10 |
| States contractors in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004; and
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| WHEREAS, In light of the widespread belief that these | 12 |
| charges are the result of an overly sensitive reaction by | 13 |
| military officials to allegations of detainee abuse, there has | 14 |
| been a great outpouring of support for the 3 SEALs, including a | 15 |
| campaign led by several members of the United States Congress | 16 |
| urging U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to intervene in | 17 |
| this matter; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 19 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 20 |
| recognize the sacrifices made by our brave servicemen and women | 21 |
| in the United States military and the extraordinary | 22 |
| circumstances they encounter in combat environments every day; |
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| and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That we urge all relevant United States military | 3 |
| officials to reconsider the charges brought against U.S. Navy | 4 |
| Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe, Petty Officer 2nd Class | 5 |
| Jonathan Keefe, and Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas; and | 6 |
| be it further | 7 |
| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 8 |
| presented to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and the | 9 |
| members of the Illinois congressional delegation.
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