[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 277 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 277

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 30, 2013

   Mr. Warner (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Coons) 
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 is a festival of great significance and celebrated annually by 
        Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains throughout India, the United States, and the 
        world;
Whereas Diwali is a festival of lights that marks the beginning of the Hindu new 
        year, during which celebrants light and place small lamps around the 
        home and pray for health, knowledge, peace, wealth, and prosperity in 
        the new year;
Whereas Diwali will be celebrated throughout the world for five days and is an 
        opportunity to celebrate the faith of all people and the universal right 
        to religious expression and spiritual freedom;
Whereas the lights symbolize the light of knowledge within the individual that 
        overwhelms the darkness of ignorance, empowering each celebrant to do 
        good deeds and show compassion to others;
Whereas Diwali falls on the last day of the last month in the lunar calendar and 
        is celebrated as a day of thanksgiving for the homecoming of the Lord 
        Rama and worship of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and bestower 
        of blessings, at the beginning of the new year for many Hindus;
Whereas, for Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated as Bandhi Chhor Diwas (The Celebration 
        of Freedom), in honor of the release from imprisonment of the sixth 
        guru, Guru Hargobind; 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, the festival of lights, and expresses 
        its respect for the people of India, Indian Americans, and 
        members of the Indian diaspora around the world on this 
        significant occasion; and
            (2) supports a strong relationship between the people and 
        governments of the United States and India, based on mutual 
        trust and respect that will enable the countries to more 
        closely collaborate across a broad spectrum of interests, such 
        as global peace and prosperity.
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