[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 37 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 37

 Concerning anti-Semitic statements made by members of the Duma of the 
                          Russian Federation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 24, 1999

    Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Wolf, Ms. 
    Slaughter, Mr. Porter, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Salmon, and Mr. Markey) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Concerning anti-Semitic statements made by members of the Duma of the 
                          Russian Federation.

Whereas the world has seen in the 20th century the disastrous results of ethnic, 
        religious, and racial intolerance;
Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation is on record, through 
        obligations freely accepted as a participating state of the Organization 
        on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as pledging to ``clearly 
        and equivocally condemn totalitarianism, racial and ethnic hatred, anti-
        Semitism, xenophobia and discrimination against anyone . . .'';
Whereas at two public rallies in October 1998, Communist Party member of the 
        Duma, Albert Makashov, blamed ``the Yids'' for Russia's current 
        problems;
Whereas in November 1998, attempts by members of the Russian Duma to formally 
        censure Albert Makashov were blocked by members of the Communist Party;
Whereas in December 1998, the chairman of the Duma Defense Committee and 
        Communist Party member, Viktor Ilyukhin, blamed President Yeltsin's 
        ``Jewish entourage'' for alleged ``genocide against the Russian 
        people'';
Whereas in response to the public outcry over the above-noted anti-Semitic 
        statements, Communist Party chairman Gennadi Zyuganov claimed in 
        December 1998 that such statements were a result of ``confusion'' 
        between Zionism and ``the Jewish question''; and
Whereas during the Soviet era, the Communist Party leadership regularly used 
        ``anti-Zionist campaigns'' as an excuse to persecute and discriminate 
        against Jews in the Soviet Union: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) condemns anti-Semitic statements made by members of the 
        Russian Duma;
            (2) commends actions taken by members of the Russian Duma 
        to condemn anti-Semitic statements made by Duma members;
            (3) commends President Yeltsin and other members of the 
        Russian Government for condemning anti-Semitic statements made 
        by Duma members; and
            (4) reiterates its firm belief that peace and justice 
        cannot be achieved as long as governments and legislatures 
        promote policies based upon anti-Semitism, racism, and 
        xenophobia.
                                 <all>