[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 255 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 255

 Condemning bigotry and violence against Sikh Americans in the wake of 
   terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 4, 2001

  Mr. Honda (for himself, Mr. Shays, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Serrano, Mr. 
 Brown of Ohio, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Matsui, Mr. Berman, Mr. 
   Delahunt, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Farr of California, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. 
Dingell, Mr. Payne, Ms. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Ford, Mr. Frelinghuysen, 
Mr. Herger, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Clement, Ms. Berkley, Ms. McCollum, Mrs. 
 Meek of Florida, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Souder, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Condit, Ms. 
 Roybal-Allard, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Becerra, Mr. 
  Hyde, Mr. Israel, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Blagojevich, Mr. 
Schiff, Mr. Pastor, Mr. Simmons, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. King, Ms. Schakowsky, 
Mr. Pombo, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. 
  Meehan, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Cooksey, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. 
 George Miller of California, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Tauscher, Ms. Solis, Mr. 
Towns, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. McGovern, 
    Mr. Sherman, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Jackson of 
  Illinois, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, Mr. 
Blumenauer, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Ms. Watson 
  of California, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Baca, Mr. Horn, Mr. Wu, Mr. 
Lantos, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Mr. Underwood, Ms. McKinney, Ms. Woolsey, 
Mr. Frost, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Borski, Ms. Eddie Bernice 
 Johnson of Texas, Mr. Stark, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Smith of New 
Jersey, Ms. Lee, Mr. Ose, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Doolittle, 
   Mr. Green of Wisconsin, Mr. Kleczka, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. 
  Abercrombie, Mr. Royce, Mr. Lewis of California, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. 
Bonior, Mr. Holt, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Fattah, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Reyes, 
Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Mr. Visclosky, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Filner, Mr. 
    Conyers, Mr. Dicks, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, and Mr. 
Lampson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning bigotry and violence against Sikh Americans in the wake of 
   terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.

Whereas all Americans are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, 
        the terrorists who planned and carried out the attacks against the 
        United States on September 11, 2001, and in pursuing all those 
        responsible for those attacks and their sponsors until they are brought 
        to justice;
Whereas Sikh Americans form a vibrant, peaceful, and law-abiding part of 
        America's people;
Whereas approximately 500,000 Sikh Americans reside in the United States and are 
        a vital part of the Nation;
Whereas Sikh Americans stand resolutely in support of the commitment of our 
        Government to bring the terrorists and those that harbor them to 
        justice;
Whereas the Sikh faith is a distinct religion with a distinct religious and 
        ethnic identity that has its own places of worship and a distinct holy 
        text and religious tenets;
Whereas many Sikh Americans, who are easily recognizable by their turbans and 
        beards, which are required articles of their faith, have suffered both 
        verbal and physical assaults as a result of misguided anger toward Arab 
        Americans and Muslim Americans in the wake of the September 11, 2001 
        terrorist attack;
Whereas Sikh Americans, as do all Americans, condemn acts of hate and prejudice 
        against any American; and
Whereas the House of Representatives is seriously concerned by the number of 
        hate crimes against Sikh Americans and other Americans all across the 
        Nation that have been reported in the wake of the tragic events that 
        unfolded on September 11, 2001: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) declares that, in the quest to identify, locate, and 
        bring to justice the perpetrators and sponsors of the terrorist 
        attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the civil 
        rights and civil liberties of all Americans, including Sikh 
        Americans, should be protected;
            (2) condemns bigotry and any acts of violence or 
        discrimination against any Americans, including Sikh Americans;
            (3) calls upon local and Federal law enforcement 
        authorities to work to prevent hate crimes against all 
        Americans, including Sikh Americans; and
            (4) calls upon local and Federal law enforcement 
        authorities to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law all 
        those who commit hate crimes.
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