[国会纪录：2010年1月20日（房屋）]尊敬于2009年12月30日在阿富汗留下的七位美国人雷耶斯先生。议员女士，我搬迁暂停规则并同意第七届美国人在2009年12月30日在阿富汗·阿富汗杀害的七名美国人丧生，以便他们为美国服务以及其他目的而丧生。职员阅读分辨率的标题。该决议的案文如下：H. Res。1009虽然中央情报局的男人和女性是专业的专业人士，不懈地努力保护美国;虽然许多人在远离家乡的恶劣条件下为中央情报局提供服务，但在恐怖分子的战斗中的前线;而这些公务员每天在职责范围内面临巨大风险;虽然中央情报局服务的七个美国人在阿富汗克斯坦斯坦克斯坦州的轰炸中为他们的国家提供了生命，但在2009年12月30日举行的轰炸;虽然六名额外的美国人在袭击中受伤，但其中一些人受到严重伤害;虽然这些高度训练有素的反恐专家的损失将深入地感受到整个情报界; and Whereas the entire Nation owes an enormous debt of gratitude to these proud Americans, their families, and their loved ones for the quiet, dedicated, and vital service they offered to the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) honors the seven Americans who died in the bombing that took place in Khost, Afghanistan, on December 30, 2009, and the families of those patriots for their service and their sacrifice for the United States; (2) expresses condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those killed in the bombing; (3) offers support and hope for a full recovery for those who were wounded in the bombing; and (4) shares in the pain and grief felt in the aftermath of such a tragic event. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes). General Leave Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas? There was no objection. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, on December 30, while many of us were watching football, traveling back from holiday visits with our families, or preparing to usher in the new year with loved ones, seven members of the Central Intelligence Agency family had their lives cut short in an attack on Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan. This was the deadliest day for the CIA since the bombing of the Beirut Embassy in 1983. The news of this tragic loss was of particular personal sadness and difficulty for me. I had the privilege to meet the Khost team when I last visited Afghanistan on a committee oversight trip. I can attest that these men and women were among the finest America has to offer. They did not shy from the dangers they knew existed, and they believed in the mission they were asked to perform. They worked tirelessly in an environment that is always dangerous. I am proud of the work that they did and the work that their colleagues continue to do today to keep our country safe. The officers who died in Khost were true professionals. They were savvy officers who relied on years of experience to make judgments and to calculate risk. These men and women were deployed to an area of great danger and hardship, and they did so knowing that the worst could happen. But, they did it anyway, because we as a Nation are relying on them and colleagues like them to make the United States safe from the threat of terrorism. I realize that many people have a distorted vision of what it means to be part of the CIA family. Movies and books have made the life of a CIA officer seem exciting. It wasn't until I [[Page H221]] joined the Intelligence Committee that I fully understood the unique sacrifices that the men and women of the CIA and their families are willing to make in service to our Nation. In addition to the inherent dangers of the job, there are long separations from family and loved ones, often without explanation and on very short notice. Birthdays and holidays are spent in foreign corners of the world. To those who were wounded in the attack, let me just add my personal thanks for your service and wish you a full and speedy recovery. To the families of those who lost their lives on December 30, you have our deepest appreciation and gratitude. In this time of grief, please know that you are in our prayers and that this tragic loss will never be forgotten. It is my hope that you can find solace in the selfless, quiet devotion that these brave men and women gave for the safety and protection of our great Nation. They made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of all of us. And all Americans owe them, and you, a great debt for their commitment and dedication to a job that very rarely receives any kind of public recognition. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's introducing this resolution and bringing it to the floor. It has been cosponsored by all Republican and Democrat members on the Intelligence Committee, and I think it is an appropriate way to honor the sacrifice of those who were killed or wounded in this tragic accident. Madam Speaker, those in the intelligence community work, serve our Nation, indeed, in dangerous places and in dangerous circumstances. I will never forget an incident shortly after I first joined the Intelligence Committee in this House. I had been on a trip to Iraq where I had gotten to see firsthand more of what our intelligence community members as well as our members of the military do in that conflict, and on my way back home to Texas, I was on a commercial flight where there was a soldier who was on leave going back home. When the plane landed in Amarillo, all of the passengers stayed seated, let the soldier get off first, and applauded him. There were some tears around the plane, all of which was very, very appropriate. But in the back of my mind, I was always thinking about those people who serve our Nation who do not wear a uniform, whose brave acts will never be known and will never get the public recognition that our military sometimes get. It is, in fact, tragic that it is only in death that these individuals are honored in this more public way, but they clearly do a job that is essential to our country's security, and especially to the fight against terrorists to prevent further terrorist acts here. I think it is also important, Madam Speaker, to point out that these individuals gave their lives doing exactly the kind of intelligence gathering that is absolutely essential to stopping terrorists. They were trying to gather human intelligence, information from human sources. And to gather that kind of information, you often have to deal with some rather unsavory-type characters in dangerous places. But the fact of the matter is that we will not be successful in stopping terrorists unless we gather that sort of information. And so these Americans who were willing to put themselves into dangerous places, dangerous circumstances, were gathering exactly the kind of information we have to have to secure our country. There has been a lot of talk since the Fort Hood shooting and the attempt at bombing an airliner in Detroit about connecting the dots. Well, the truth of the matter is the more information we can gather closer to the front lines, closer to the center of where terrorists operate, the easier it is to connect those dots. And gathering that information out on the front lines at the tip of the sword, as it is sometimes said, that is exactly what these officers were doing. So I think it is important for us all to resolve to support them in that effort. Certainly to try to find ways to encourage and support their efforts, not to appoint special prosecutors to go after people who are getting that kind of information, but to support their efforts. The other point I would like to make is I think in this situation there is an extra burden placed on families. Because these officers were undercover, there is a lot of media interest and so forth, the families cannot go through the traditional kind of grieving process like other families can. As the chairman mentioned, I hope they know that they are certainly in our prayers even as we honor their loved ones who served our Nation. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the Chair of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel and a member of our Intelligence Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt). Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing this resolution forward, and I rise in support of the resolution and to offer my condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the seven clandestine service officers who were killed by a suicide bomber in Khost, Afghanistan, a couple of weeks ago, and to offer support and appreciation and best wishes for those recovering from their injuries. As Chair of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel and a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I am well aware, as we all are here, of the risk to forward-deployed clandestine service employees, a risk they face on a daily basis. These seven employees gave their lives in the line of duty, and our thoughts and prayers remain with their loved ones. May they find comfort in part in the knowledge of the high service these people have given to their country. Let me also take a moment to express my wishes for a full and speedy recovery to those wounded in the bombing and my appreciation to all Americans, civilian and military, who are serving our Nation in Afghanistan. We look forward to the day when their presence in Afghanistan will no longer be needed and that they will return home safely to their families. I thank Chairman Reyes for offering this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to a member of the Intelligence Committee and the ranking member of the Terrorism Subcommittee on the Armed Services Committee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller). {time} 1315 Mr. MILLER of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding. As we Members come to the floor from time to time to pass resolutions, to talk about resolutions supporting athletic events or special occasions, it is always difficult for us to come to the floor to talk about people who have given their lives in the defense of this country, who have been injured in the duty that they are performing for this Nation. Being at a forward operating base for someone within the intelligence community or the CIA is about as far outside the wire as you can get. In some of the most austere conditions, men and women are asked to ascertain intelligence so that we here in the United States of America can remain safe and secure in our homes and our business places. Seven individuals gave that ultimate sacrifice. It is altogether fitting that this House would pause to give honor to those seven individuals and their families, and to the individuals who have been injured. And as my colleagues have already said, I wish them a speedy recovery, but also to say thank you. Thank you to the men and women of the clandestine services who are willing to do what they do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We in this House, we as Americans, owe them a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, it is now my honor to recognize for 1 minute a former ranking member of the Intelligence Committee, and certainly someone that knows and understands the sacrifices that our men and women in the CIA make every day. We are fortunate to have her as the Speaker of the House. Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him for giving us the privilege to come to the floor to honor the [[Page H222]] lives, the leadership, the service and sacrifice of the seven CIA officers killed, and those who were wounded in Afghanistan on December 30, 2009. For those of us who have worked closely with members of the intelligence community, visited them and their stations around the world, some undercover, some not, we know the sacrifice that they make. Like so many of the dedicated men and women in the intelligence community, these officers worked far from home, close to the enemy, and on the front lines of the fight for freedom and security around the world. They were mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, friends and loved ones. They never asked for recognition or credit, for medals or awards. They simply sought to fulfill their duty to protect our Nation, to secure the blessings of a brighter future for our people, to bear any burden, as President Kennedy said, in the name of our safety, our shared values, and our common ideals. Go back a number of years before terrorism became such an important part of our intelligence gathering, go back a couple of decades, force protection was one of the primary responsibilities of the intelligence community. When they were sent into harm's way or in anticipation of that, the intelligence community was the advance team and the ongoing force protector. And so as we honor on every occasion, and we will later today, our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan, we know that there are people taking risks to protect them as we talk about honoring them. These are the members of the intelligence community in their various manifestations. The stories of these intelligence officers, theirs were stories of sacrifice, tales of bravery in the face of danger, and valor in the face of great peril. In carrying out their mission, they gave hope to children, families, and complete strangers. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave because of them. In performing acts of extraordinary courage, they advanced the cause of peace. In answering the calls of service, they became heroes. These officers knew we live in a time of peril at home and around the world. As the attack on them in Afghanistan, the failed plot on Christmas Day, and the shootings at Fort Hood remind us, intelligence must remain the first line of defense against terrorism and other threats to global security and peace. We must continue to support those still in the field, the men and women who, taking inspiration from their fallen colleagues, keep pursuing their mission on every front. In the words of this resolution, the entire Nation owes an enormous debt of gratitude to these proud Americans, their families, and their loved ones for the quiet, dedicated, and vital services offered to the United States. May their proud and selfless acts be a source of strength and inspiration to all Americans. May those so painfully touched by this event find comfort in knowing the thoughts and prayers of our entire Nation are with them at this very sad and difficult time. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) a member of the Intelligence Committee and the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee. Mr. KING of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding. I rise in strong support of this resolution. As the gentleman from Texas indicated earlier, it is unfortunate that it is only at times like this that many of the American people realize just what an outstanding service is performed by the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency day in and day out, year in and year out. They perform missions and they put themselves at risk in ways that many of us cannot even imagine. I have only been a member of the Intelligence Committee for less than a year, but during that time I have had the opportunity to visit with members of the CIA at remote outposts, seeing the type of conditions under which they live, seeing the burdens they bear, seeing the risks that they endure. And it should be reminded to all of us that not only do we honor these seven men and women who were murdered in the line of duty, not only do we offer our condolences to the family members of those who were killed, and not only do we pray for those who are recovering from their wounds, but we should also, I think, take an extra moment to express our solidarity for those that are in the field today, those who are doing, as we are standing here on the House floor here today speaking, as we go back to our apartments tonight, as we go back to our districts over the next several days and be with our families, that there are men and women out there who will not be with their families, who will not be living in the comfort we take for granted in this Nation. And it also should be reminded to us that we should not find ourselves being Monday morning quarterbacks or second-guessing these men and women who were on the field, who have to make literally life and death decisions at any moment. And sometimes looking back on them years later we can say they should have done this, they should have done that. The reality is they are the people on the front lines. They are the people actually, as Congressman Miller said, almost beyond the front lines. They are as remote as you can be in many instances, and also have to take extraordinary risks, as they did in this situation. Because if we are going to win the war against terrorism, we have to obtain the intelligence. We have to get that information that is so vital to heading off attacks. And we can't do it just by intercepts. We can't do it always in a neat and easy way. It has to be done by people putting themselves on the line, actually going out and meeting with those who may turn out to be, as in this case, double agents or triple agents. So let's just again express our heartfelt admiration, our sympathy, our sense of condolence for all these people who, again, died so tragically, these brave men and women. But also keep in mind that there are many, many more brave men and women out in the field today doing this exact same type of work. And they deserve our support. So it is not only at times like this, in times of tragedy, that we acknowledge them, but we acknowledge them 365 days a year for the work that they do. With that, again, I am proud to support the resolution. Mr. REYES. It is now my honor to yield 2 minutes to my colleague on the Intelligence Committee, Mr. Schiff from California. Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I join my colleague, the distinguished chairman of the Intelligence Committee, in honoring the seven American intelligence professionals who lost their lives at Forward Operating Base Chapman on December 30, and their six colleagues who were wounded in the attack. It is the nature of service in the intelligence community that the American public will never know the names of some of the dead and wounded. These patriots served quietly, often undercover, and when they are lost, their families and colleagues must mourn them in private. It is a blessing, I think, of service on the Intelligence Committee that we get the chance to visit intelligence officials here at home and around the world. We have the chance to get to know them, to see the courage that they exhibit. More than that, we have a chance to thank them. But we also get a chance to see the strain it puts on their lives and on the lives of their families, a sacrifice that is not rewarded with the kind of public attention and public thanks that their colleagues in uniform often receive. But we are here today to express our profound gratitude for their service and to share in the grief that has been suffered and visited upon their families. In the coming months, seven stars will be etched into the CIA's memorial wall, joining 90 other employees who died in service to the United States. Even today, 35 of the 90 stars honor the sacrifice of officers whose identities still remain classified. I hope that all of our colleagues will join us in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of those who were lost, and friends, and to pay homage to these patriots, whose service and sacrifice has made each one of us more secure. I yield the floor and thank, again, the chairman for his sponsorship of this resolution. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. [[Page H223]] Mr. REYES. I now yield 3 minutes to the former ranking member on the Intelligence Committee and the current Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence, a lady that I have had the privilege of traveling with around the world to visit our men and women in the intelligence community, Ms. Harman from California. Ms. HARMAN. I thank Chairman Reyes for yielding to me and for the nice things that he says not only about me but surely about the women and men who serve our intelligence community around the world. And I thank him for authoring this resolution. Madam Speaker, every single time I enter CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the first thing I do is to look at the wall of stars displayed in the lobby, each star, as we just heard, signifying a loss somewhere in the world of an agency employee. Some of those stars have no names attached, underscoring the sensitivity and singular importance of the missions undertaken by CIA women and men. On my most recent visit to Langley, in late December, I asked my host if any new stars had been added to the wall. Yes, he said, simply. Sadly, the next time I or anyone else enters CIA headquarters, seven more stars will be on that wall, stars honoring patriots I probably met on one of my many trips that I made as ranking member of the Intelligence Committee, and more recently as chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence. On those trips I always meet with our intelligence officers to hear firsthand about their work and to thank them for their service and sacrifice. When a suicide bomber took those seven lives at Forward Operating Base Chapman, Americans got a rare glimpse of the dangerous reality that our intelligence community faces on a daily basis. There is no question, Madam Speaker, that their work has saved and will continue to save American lives. So on behalf of a grateful Nation, our profound gratitude goes to the families of Harold Brown, Elizabeth Hanson, Dane Paresi, Scott Roberson, and Jeremy Wise, and to those of two others whose names are not disclosed. We also salute those who were wounded in the attack and their families. Madam Speaker, accurate, actionable, and timely intelligence is America's first line of defense, the so-called tip of the spear. {time} 1330 These intelligence professionals died in an effort to penetrate the top leadership of al Qaeda. I believe that the best way to honor them is by supporting their colleagues, who continue to put their lives on the line in the service of the American people and defense of our Nation. Let us do so this afternoon by supporting this bipartisan resolution. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Just to emphasize the point made earlier by the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), as we come today to honor those who sacrifice their lives and their families for their sacrifice, as we come today to honor and express our appreciation for those who are wounded and wish them a speedy recovery, it is also important that we reaffirm our support to those who are all over the world also in dangerous places, in dangerous circumstances, carrying out the Nation's business in the intelligence community. I think we are uniquely situated in Congress, not only to oversee their activities, but to support and encourage the work that they do that can never be shared with the outside world. So I think it's appropriate to have this resolution, but I think it's also important for all Members of this body to reaffirm our support for those who serve our Nation in this way. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton). Ms. SUTTON. I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the time and for your leadership. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 1009. Today we are honoring the seven members of our intelligence community who were tragically killed on December 30 and their colleagues who were injured by a suicide bomber at our CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan. In honoring these brave men and women, we also seek to express our deep support and appreciation to all the civil servants who dedicate their lives to protecting our Nation. We mourn the loss of all of these seven brave heroes. Along with the Congresswoman from the 13th District of Ohio, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the loss of Scott Roberson, an Ohio native who was among those killed in this tragic attack. Scott dedicated his life to serving and protecting. He spent many years as a police officer before serving with the U.N. Security Forces in Kosovo. He also served several tours in Iraq as a security officer before his assignment in support of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. Members of Scott's family reside in my district. When I had the deep honor of attending his memorial service some days ago, as I sat among his family and friends, I listened to those who knew him best speak of his character and unwavering commitment to protecting the safety and security of all Americans. By all accounts, Scott was an exceptional person who, along with his selfless colleagues, sacrificed beyond measure to protect us. He left behind a loving wife expecting their first child, a child who will know her father through our hero's family and friends and through this resolution passed in honor of the service and sacrifice that he and his colleagues have given on our behalf and on behalf of our great Nation. For those families who cannot publicly mourn their loss, please know that our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers are with you. And to all of the families, know that the sacrifice of your parent, your child, your sibling or spouse does not go unrecognized and will not be forgotten. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to a valiant member of the Intelligence Committee and the chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin). (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of the seven CIA officers and contractors who gave their lives in the line of duty during the December 30 bombing of a CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan. My thoughts and prayers are with them and with their families. I also want to recognize those Americans who were injured in the blast and offer my best wishes for a full and quick recovery. Madam Speaker, as we have all learned by now, a suicide bomber who was believed to possess valuable information critical to counterterrorism operations entered the U.S. forward operating base in Khost, where he activated explosives that took the lives of seven Americans, including one of our Nation's top counterterrorism experts as well as a Jordanian intelligence officer. Six other Americans standing nearby were also injured in the explosion. The men and women of our intelligence community do critically important work behind a veil of secrecy, yet as this tragic incident reminds us, they're still exposed to the dangers that come from the difficult and often thankless job of protecting our Nation. Unlike our soldiers in uniform, these public servants must keep their many victories secret while their rare failures and raw grief make headlines. My thoughts and prayers again are with the families of these brave men and women. They and all the other patriots who serve so honorably in our intelligence community have my unending gratitude and my unwavering support. And I, I know along with all of my colleagues, will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that they have the tools and the resources and the encouragement they need to continue to keep America safe. May God bless those who lost their lives and those who are injured. Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank all my colleagues for their great words and condolences and sympathy in honor of those who were killed in Khost. Again, personally, I extend my condolences to the families and friends [[Page H224]] who are forever impacted by this tragic loss. And to those who are recovering today from injuries they received in this attack, I wish you a full and fast recovery. We, as Members of Congress, recognize that we have a tremendous responsibility to provide our men and women in the intelligence community all the tools that they need to carry out their mission. We are forever grateful. We are blessed to have these men and women serving, protecting our great Nation. Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) women and men who were killed recently in Khost, Afghanistan. I recently returned from a House Intelligence Committee oversight visit to various locations in Europe and the Middle East. I met with a number of CIA officers, who provided me with exhaustive briefings on the December 30 bombing in Khost, Afghanistan. That bombing killed seven of their CIA colleagues and wounded a number of others, several grievously. Many others have offered words of praise for the selfless patriots who gave their lives for their country, and words of condolence to their families and loved ones. In memorial services and private funerals scheduled for the coming weeks, many more will surely do the same. I am honored to add my voice to this chorus. I have met with hundreds of CIA professionals in my years on the Intelligence Committee. I can tell you that they are invariably brave, committed patriots who have dedicated their lives to the protection of this nation. Their jobs are difficult and dangerous in the best of times. In others--as the recent tragedy reminds us their missions require the ultimate sacrifice. We owe the seven Americans killed in Khost our thanks and praise. We owe their families our condolences and our prayers. And we owe their colleagues our respect, admiration, and gratitude. Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, seven brave Americans were killed in the line of duty on December 30, 2009, in Khost, Afghanistan. On that day, we lost good and honorable public servants, whose contributions to our national security will be dearly missed. We lost productive citizens--loving parents, siblings, children of Americans who will never see their loved ones again. We honor their records of service and their sacrifice. We honor their willingness to serve our country during turbulent and dangerous times. I extend on behalf of my constituents sincerest condolences to the families of those who have died. Nothing we say here can heal the wounds of those who loved them. But decisions we make here can ensure that their lives were not lost in vain. Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1009. One of those individuals honored today in this resolution spent her formative years in the northern Illinois Congressional district that I am proud to represent. Miss Elizabeth C. Hanson of Rockford, Illinois deployed to Afghanistan as part of America's war against terrorist extremists. On December 30, 2009, Elizabeth, along with six colleagues from the Central Intelligence Agency and a Jordanian liaison officer, was killed when a suicide bomber attacked the base where they were stationed. Elizabeth Hanson was born in February 1979 and graduated from Keith Country Day School in 1997. She attended Colby College during the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Elizabeth joined the CIA as a specialist tasked with collecting information on terrorists, and she was part of a team dedicated to defeating America's worst enemies. Elizabeth Hanson served her country with passion, dedication, and conviction. Elizabeth will be sorely missed by her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. I am enclosing for the Record a copy of a recent local newspaper editorial that honored her service. [From the RRStar.com Editorial, Jan. 17, 2010] Brave, Remarkable Woman Went From Keith to the CIA In the weeks since CIA employee Elizabeth Hanson died in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan, her college placement adviser at Keith Country Day School has reflected on what the loss meant. Sally Hoff's words should shed new light on the heroism that Hanson exhibited in the dark corners of Afghanistan. Hanson, 30, was among seven CIA employees who died Dec. 30 when a double agent detonated an explosive device at a remote base near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Hoff worked closely with Hanson for two years at Keith, a private college preparatory school, before Hanson graduated in 1997. At first, the former counselor's deep sadness was paired with shock that Hanson worked for the CIA. Then it seemed to fit. She recalled Hanson's courage, energy and resolve--traits unusual for most teenagers. ``Although she was involved in many activities and had a lot of friends, I was aware of a strong sense of independence and self-reliance in her,'' Hoff wrote in an e-mail to the Editorial Board. ``As we moved through the college selection process, she was clearly the captain of her destiny; she made her own decisions without seeking much input from family and friends. ``There's a marked amount of bravery in that for a 17-year- old,'' Hoff wrote. Hanson went on to attend Colby College in Maine, a highly selective liberal arts school where she majored in economics. She graduated in 2001. A professor at Colby told The Associated Press that Hanson didn't study economics as a path to a lucrative job in the financial world. Her concern wasn't so much the raw data, Michael Donihue said, but the behaviors behind it. ``There are some who come into economics because they're interested in making money,'' he said. ``Others want to look at the world in a different way.'' At Keith, Hanson was known as Bitsy. She was a vivacious, generous, friendly young woman who seemed to enjoy challenging herself in academics and extracurriculars, according to Hoff. ``I feel honored to have known this remarkable young woman!'' Hoff wrote. This community is honored that Hanson gave her life trying to unlock the secrets of al-Qaida and its terrorist network. Our condolences to her family and friends. May the pride that her hometown feels in her sacrifice be some comfort. Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the seven brave Americans who recently lost their lives in Afghanistan. I was deeply saddened to learn of the seven Americans who died in the December 30th suicide blast at Forward Operating Base Chapman. This tragic bombing was the deadliest single attack on U.S. intelligence personnel in decades. Over and over again, the men and women who serve the Central Intelligence Agency have shown their dedication to their mission and the protection of the United States. These seven Americans served with distinction at a facility on the front lines in the Khost province, an area which borders North Waziristan and is believed to be al-Qaeda's home base. Unfortunately, this terrible event also has a connection to my home state. We've been hit hard in the Northwest. Over 60 service members from Washington State or assigned from Washington military installations have died in Afghanistan. Of that, 32 were killed in the past year from Fort Lewis, a major Army base in my district. Regrettably this tragic event only adds to that total. One of the victims, Dane Clark Paresi, was a DuPont, Washington resident and former Fort Lewis soldier. Paresi retired from 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis in 2008, concluding 27 years in the Army. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, parents and five siblings. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt sympathy to his family and the families of the other brave Americans who lost their lives. Their service will not be forgotten. For the six additional Americans that were injured in the attack, I would like to offer my support and hope for their full recovery. The men and women of the CIA have done everything their country has asked of them and more. We all should have the utmost respect and admiration for their service and sacrifice. The loss of these highly trained counterterrorism experts will be deeply felt throughout the Intelligence Community. And with that, Madam Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker I rise today in support of H. Res. 1009, honoring the seven Americans killed in Khost, Afghanistan in a suicide attack on December 30, 2009. I extend my sincere condolences to their families and friends, as well as to the entire intelligence community. The men and women of the clandestine services face great personal danger to protect the United States. Their work is largely done in the shadows and seldom do they receive the credit and recognition they so deeply deserve. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courageous service. As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I have seen firsthand the work these men and women are doing to protect Americans on the frontlines of international conflicts. While their names may never be made public, their memory and the impact of their service will not be forgotten. The loss of seven American men and women in the December 30th attack is a tragedy for both the intelligence community and our country, and my thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were killed. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by [[Page H225]] the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1009. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________