WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee released the following statement on the anniversary of the August 7, 1998, attacks on U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
“Today we honor the heroes who were killed in the August 7, 1998, attacks on the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania when Al Qaeda attacked with near-simultaneous truck bombs. Among the 213 people who lost their lives in the tragic attacks were 12 Americans—career diplomats, intelligence officers and Department of Defense personnel—alongside foreign service nationals and local staff. Their families successfully advocated for the creation of the State Department’s Office of Casualty Assistance (OCA) in 1999 to ensure support for the loved ones of U.S. personnel killed or injured overseas. As we reflect on their sacrifice—and the contributions of the brave American and local personnel who rebuilt our diplomatic presence in these countries after that tragedy—we must also reaffirm our commitment to those who serve the United States today. The abrupt closure of the OCA dishonors the memory of the 1998 victims, and the service of Americans stationed abroad. The U.S. must continue to ensure that in the face of tragedy, our diplomats and their families receive the respect, care and support they deserve.”
###