[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 299 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 299

 Recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival 
                               of Diwali.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 3, 2007

   Mr. Menendez (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival 
                               of Diwali.

Whereas Diwali, a festival of great significance to Indian Americans and South 
        Asian Americans, is celebrated annually by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains 
        throughout the United States;
Whereas there are nearly 2,000,000 Hindus in the United States, approximately 
        1,250,000 of which are of Indian and South Asian origin;
Whereas the word ``Diwali'' is a shortened version of the Sanskrit term 
        ``Deepavali'', which means ``a row of lamps'';
Whereas Diwali is a festival of lights, during which celebrants light small oil 
        lamps, place them around the home, and pray for health, knowledge, and 
        peace;
Whereas celebrants of Diwali believe that the rows of lamps symbolize the light 
        within the individual that rids the soul of the darkness of ignorance;
Whereas Diwali falls on the last day of the last month in the lunar calendar and 
        is celebrated as a day of thanksgiving and the beginning of the new year 
        for many Hindus;
Whereas for Hindus, Diwali is a celebration of the victory of good over evil;
Whereas for Sikhs, Diwali is feted as the day that the sixth founding Sikh Guru, 
        or revered teacher, Guru Hargobind, was released from captivity by the 
        Mughal Emperor Jehangir; and
Whereas for Jains, Diwali marks the anniversary of the attainment of moksha, or 
        liberation, by Mahavira, the last of the Tirthankaras (the great 
        teachers of Jain dharma), at the end of his life in 527 B.C.: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the religious and historical significance of 
        the festival of Diwali; and
            (2) requests the President to issue a proclamation 
        recognizing Diwali.
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