[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 74 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 74

 Condemning bigotry and violence against Sikh-Americans in the wake of 
 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 
                               11, 2001.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 2, 2001

   Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Leahy, Mr. DeWine, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Biden, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
   Allen, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Jeffords, Ms. 
  Cantwell, Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. 
   Murray, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
 Cleland, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Carper, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. 
 Levin, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Reid) submitted the following 
   concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning bigotry and violence against Sikh-Americans in the wake of 
 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. 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 Sikhs 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 Congress 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 by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (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.
                                 <all>