[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 432 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 432

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the education curriculum in 
                      the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 27, 2002

 Mr. Davis of Florida (for himself, Mr. Bereuter, Mr. Crowley, Ms. Ros-
    Lehtinen, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Berman, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Gilman, Mr. 
 Delahunt, Mr. King, Mr. Lantos, and Mr. Hyde) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the education curriculum in 
                      the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Whereas the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, were 
        carried out by 19 hijackers, including 15 Saudi Arabian nationals;
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia controls and regulates all forms of 
        education in public and private schools at all levels;
Whereas Islamic religious education is compulsory in public and private schools 
        at all levels;
Whereas the religious curriculum is written, monitored, and taught by followers 
        of the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam, the only religion the Government 
        of Saudi Arabia allows to be taught;
Whereas rote memorization of religious texts continues to be a central feature 
        of much of the educational system of Saudi Arabia, leaving thousands of 
        students unprepared to function in the global economy of the 21st 
        century;
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has tolerated elements within its 
        education system that promote and encourage extremism;
Whereas some textbooks in Saudi Arabian schools foster a combination of 
        intolerance, ignorance, and anti-Semitic, anti-American, and anti-
        Western views;
Whereas these intolerant views instilled in students make them prime recruiting 
        targets of extremist groups;
Whereas extremism is a danger to the stability of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 
        the Middle East region, and global security;
Whereas the events of September 11, 2001, have created an urgent need to promote 
        moderate voices in the Islamic world as an effective way to combat 
        extremism; and
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia is currently conducting a review of its 
        education curriculum: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) supports the review by the Government of Saudi Arabia 
        of its education curriculum;
            (2) calls on the Government of Saudi Arabia to ensure that 
        such review is thorough, objective, and public; and
            (3) urges the Government of Saudi Arabia to reform its 
        education curriculum in a manner that promotes tolerance, 
        develops civil society, and encourages functionality in the 
        global economy.
                                 <all>