[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 34 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con.Res.34
                                         Agreed to April 6, 2005        

                       One Hundred Ninth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
            the fourth day of January, two thousand and five


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas the Sikh faith was founded in the northern section of the 
  Republic of India in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, who preached 
  tolerance and equality for all humans;

Whereas the Sikh faith began with a simple message of truthful living 
  and the fundamental unity of humanity, all created by one creator who 
  manifests existence through every religion;

Whereas the Sikh faith reaches out to people of all faiths and cultural 
  backgrounds, encourages individuals to see beyond their differences, 
  and to work together for world peace and harmony;

Whereas Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, 
  known as Yogi Bhajan to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, 
  was born Harbhajan Singh Puri on August 26, 1929, in India;

Whereas at age eight, Yogi Bhajan began yogic training, and eight years 
  later was proclaimed by his teacher to be a master of Kundalini Yoga, 
  which stimulates individual growth through breath, yoga postures, 
  sound, chanting, and meditation;

Whereas during the turmoil on the partition between Pakistan and India 
  in 1947, at the age of 18, Yogi Bhajan led his village of 7,000 
  people 325 miles on foot to safety in New Delhi, India, from what is 
  now Lahore, Pakistan;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan, before emigrating to North America in 1968, served 
  the Government of India faithfully through both civil and military 
  service;

Whereas when Yogi Bhajan visited the United States in 1968, he 
  recognized immediately that the experience of higher consciousness 
  that many young people were attempting to find through drugs could be 
  alternatively achieved through Kundalini Yoga, and in response, he 
  began teaching Kundalini Yoga publicly, thereby breaking the 
  centuries-old tradition of secrecy surrounding it;

Whereas in 1969, Yogi Bhajan founded ``Healthy, Happy, Holy 
  Organization (3HO)'', a nonprofit private educational and scientific 
  foundation dedicated to serving humanity, improving physical well-
  being, deepening spiritual awareness, and offering guidance on 
  nutrition and health, interpersonal relations, child rearing, and 
  human behavior;

Whereas under the direction and guidance of Yogi Bhajan, 3HO expanded 
  to 300 centers in 35 countries;

Whereas in 1971, the president of the governing body of Sikh Temples in 
  India gave Yogi Bhajan the title of Siri Singh Sahib, which made him 
  the chief religious and administrative authority for Sikhism in the 
  Western Hemisphere, and subsequently the Sikh seat of religious 
  authority gave him responsibility to create a Sikh ministry in the 
  West;

Whereas in 1971, Sikh Dharma was legally incorporated in the State of 
  California and recognized as a tax-exempt religious organization by 
  the United States, and in 1972, Yogi Bhajan founded the ashram Sikh 
  Dharma in Espanola, New Mexico;

Whereas in 1973, Yogi Bhajan founded ``3HO SuperHealth'', a successful 
  drug rehabilitation program that blends ancient yogic wisdom of the 
  East with modern technology of the West;

Whereas in June 1985, Yogi Bhajan established the first ``International 
  Peace Prayer Day Celebrations'' in New Mexico, which still draws 
  thousands of participants annually;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan traveled the world calling for world peace and 
  religious unity at meetings with leaders such as Pope Paul VI; Pope 
  John Paul II; His Holiness the Dalai Lama; the President of the 
  former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Mikhail Gorbachev; and 
  two Archbishops of Canterbury;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan wrote 30 books and inspired the publication of 200 
  other books through his teachings, founded a drug rehabilitation 
  program, and inspired the founding of several businesses;

Whereas Sikhs and students across the world testify that Yogi Bhajan 
  exhibited dignity, divinity, grace, commitment, courage, kindness, 
  compassion, tolerance, wisdom, and understanding;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan taught that in times of joy and sorrow members of 
  the community should come together and be at one with each other; and

Whereas before his passing on October 6, 2004, Yogi Bhajan requested 
  that his passing be a time of celebration of his going home: Now, 
  therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
        (1) recognizes that the teachings of Yogi Bhajan about Sikhism 
    and yoga, and the businesses formed under his inspiration, improved 
    the personal, political, spiritual, and professional relations 
    between citizens of the United States and the citizens of India;
        (2) recognizes the legendary compassion, wisdom, kindness, and 
    courage of Yogi Bhajan, and his wealth of accomplishments on behalf 
    of the Sikh community; and
        (3) extends its condolences to Inderjit Kaur, the wife of Yogi 
    Bhajan, his three children and five grandchildren, and to Sikh and 
    3HO communities around the Nation and the world upon the death on 
    October 6, 2004, of Yogi Bhajan, an individual who was a wise 
    teacher and mentor, an outstanding pioneer, a champion of peace, 
    and a compassionate human being.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.