Whereas the terrorist organization referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and various other names (in this concurrent resolution referred to as ISIL ) has been systematically targeting, kidnapping, and killing innocent men, women, and children throughout Iraq and Syria, continues to expand its terror influence, and is responsible for recent attacks in Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and France; Whereas foreign fighters, undeterred by the more than 60 nation coalition operating against ISIL, continue to join the ranks of ISIL with the goal of establishing a caliphate; Whereas, on June 19, 2014, President Barack Obama stated that ISIL poses a threat to the Iraqi people, to the region and to U.S. interests ; Whereas, on August 19, 2014, ISIL released a video of the beheading of an American journalist, James Foley, and threatened to kill more Americans; Whereas, on September 2, 2014, ISIL released a second video, of the beheading of an Israeli-American journalist, Steven Sotloff, and again threatened to kill more; Whereas a Central Intelligence Agency assessment in September 2014 estimated that ISIL can muster as many as 31,500 fighters in Syria and Iraq alone; Whereas, on November 16, 2014, ISIL released yet another video of militant Jihadi John standing over the severed head of former Army Ranger Peter Kassig; Whereas Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, a member of a United States Special Forces operations team, was killed during a daring raid on an ISIL stronghold in Iraq to rescue 70 prisoners who were slated to be executed; Whereas American hostage Kayla Mueller, a 26-year-old female, was kidnapped and repeatedly raped for almost 18 months by the leader of ISIL, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi; Whereas, on November 13, 2015, ISIL carried out a coordinated attack on Paris, France, killing more than 129 people from at least 14 different countries, including American student Nohemi Gonzalez