[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 256 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 256

       Recognizing people of African descent and Black Europeans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 26, 2019

    Mr. Hastings (for himself, Ms. Moore, Mr. Lewis, and Mr. Meeks) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
       Recognizing people of African descent and Black Europeans.

Whereas the 109th Congress passed H. Con. Res. 60 and S. Con. Res. 90, 
        recognizing African descendants in Latin America and the Caribbean, 
        raising awareness of the racism and discrimination faced by those 
        communities, and leading to numerous public and private sector 
        initiatives between the United States and Latin American and Caribbean 
        countries to improve the situation of African descendants;
Whereas the persistence of racism and discrimination in Europe similarly 
        necessitates congressional action to raise awareness and promote public 
        and private sector initiatives to stem this trend;
Whereas the May 19, 2018, royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the 
        Duke of Sussex, raised awareness of the long history and situation of 
        African-descent populations in Europe;
Whereas the terms ``Afro-European'', ``African European'', or ``Black European'' 
        refer to people of African ancestry or descent born in, citizens of, or 
        living in Europe;
Whereas an estimated 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 Black Europeans live in and have 
        long had a presence in Europe, forming an influential part of the 
        African diaspora;
Whereas the story of Black Europeans remains widely untold, rendering many of 
        their past and present contributions to the political and social life of 
        Europe invisible or forgotten;
Whereas unlike more contemporary figures, largely unknown Blacks have made 
        significant contributions to European history and culture, including 
        Spanish poet Juan Latino, Italian Duke Alessandro Medici, French 
        novelist Alexandre Dumas, German scholar Anthony William Amo, French 
        Composer Le Chevalier de St. George, British abolitionist Oladuah 
        Equiano, and Russian General and Governor Abram Hannibal, great-
        grandfather of Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin;
Whereas the largest estimated populations of Black Europeans can be found in 
        France (approximately 2,500,000), the United Kingdom (approximately 
        1,500,000), and the Netherlands (approximately 500,000), in addition to 
        sizeable populations in Germany, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, 
        Ireland, Russia, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, and Austria;
Whereas the presence of Blacks in Europe can be traced to voluntary and forced 
        migration resulting from the geographical proximity of Europe to Africa 
        and the Middle East, including the transatlantic slave trade, the 
        colonization of Africa and the Caribbean, African and African-American 
        military deployments, the movement of refugees and asylum seekers, and 
        educational and other professional exchanges;
Whereas although Black Europeans have made significant achievements in and 
        contributions to European society, large numbers have and continue to be 
        more likely than the general population to experience discrimination and 
        be underrepresented in leadership roles in the public and private sector 
        as a result of the color of their skin and ancestry;
Whereas racism has long been, and continues to be, a problem in Europe;
Whereas, on April 29, 2008, before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in 
        Europe, at a hearing entitled ``The State of (In)visible Black Europe: 
        Race, Rights, and Politics'', Dr. Philomena Essed stated, ``Probably the 
        only common European experience among many, if not all, Afro-descendants 
        is their exposure to [. . .] racism and systemic discrimination, 
        regardless of country, socio-economic conditions, gender, age, or level 
        of education.'';
Whereas, as early as 1997, the European Commission opinion poll entitled 
        ``Racism and Xenophobia in Europe'' reported a ``worrying level of 
        racism and xenophobia in [European Union] member states, with nearly 33% 
        of those interviewed openly describing themselves as `quite racist' or 
        `very racist'.'';
Whereas annual reports of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (EUFRA) 
        and both the 2009 and 2018 European Union Minorities and Discrimination 
        Survey (EU-MIDIS I and II), the first European Union-wide surveys of 
        ethnic minority and immigrant groups' experiences of discrimination and 
        victimization in everyday life in the 28 member states of the European 
        Union, found that persons of African descent experience high incidents 
        of discriminatory treatment, racist crime, and victimization, and lacked 
        an awareness of their rights, often underreporting cases of hate crimes 
        and other forms of discrimination to law enforcement and human rights 
        agencies, and that the situation has not drastically improved in the 
        years between the two reports;
Whereas, in November 2018, the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (EUFRA) 
        launched ``Being Black in the EU: Second European Union Minorities and 
        Discrimination Survey'', and called for member states to develop 
        specific solutions and guidance to address findings that 30 percent of 
        respondents had been racially harassed, 5 percent physically attacked, 
        25 percent discriminated against at work or when looking for work, up to 
        76 percent faced unemployment in some countries, and were experiencing 
        high rates of discrimination in housing and in the justice system, 
        including profiling by law enforcement;
Whereas the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office for 
        Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' (OSCE/ODIHR) most recent 2017 
        hate crimes report found more than 1,608 racist and xenophobic 
        incidents, including a number targeting Black Europeans, while OSCE 
        reports in previous years found a number of deaths and violent assaults 
        against people of African origin, and that persons of African descent 
        are often targets of racist and antimigrant violence, especially in 
        Eastern Europe, yet in many countries hate crimes are underreported and, 
        legal assistance and financial support for victims while recovering from 
        violent attacks does not exist;
Whereas prejudice and discrimination toward Black Europeans has also been linked 
        to changes in immigration and asylum laws as a result of antiterrorism 
        initiatives and the growth and mainstreaming of nationalist and anti-
        immigrant political parties and groups, including neo-Nazis and 
        skinheads;
Whereas the Open Society Justice Initiative in an initial 2009 report, entitled 
        ``Ethnic Profiling in the European Union'', and subsequent reports have 
        found that police officers in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, 
        Germany, and the Netherlands routinely use racial profiling, including 
        targeting African descendants, when deciding whom to target for stops, 
        searches, raids, and surveillance, leading to some of the first 
        Europeanwide grassroots and legal efforts to end racial profiling in 
        France, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe, and over a decade of pan-
        European antiracism and empowerment initiatives supported by Open 
        Society Foundations;
Whereas there have been numerous efforts by the public and private sector to 
        address racial discrimination and inequality in Europe, including the 
        introduction of antidiscrimination and equality laws that include the 
        legal support for special measures or positive (affirmative) action, 
        creation of equality bodies, media campaigns, and efforts to increase 
        minority political participation, and campaigns to end the use of 
        stereotypes and derogatory terms to refer to Blacks in everyday 
        language, the media, and textbooks;
Whereas these efforts include the United Nations designation of 2011 as the 
        International Year for People of African Descent and 2015-2024 the 
        International Decade for People of African Descent in an effort to 
        strengthen national actions to ensure that people of African descent 
        enjoy economic, cultural, social, civil, and political rights, as well 
        as promote a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage 
        and culture;
Whereas these efforts also include the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's (PA) 
        adoption of Resolutions: ``A Call for OSCE Action to Address Violence 
        and Discrimination'' in 2016, ``Addressing Racism and Xenophobia 
        Affecting People of African Descent in the OSCE Region'' in 2012, and 
        ``Strengthening Efforts to Combat Racism and Xenophobia and Foster 
        Inclusion'' in 2011 that included recognition of the International Year 
        for People of African Descent, and calling for the OSCE to implement 
        several strategic initiatives to address racial and ethnic 
        discrimination in the OSCE region;
Whereas, in 2011, OSCE/ODIHR held its first ``Roundtable on the contemporary 
        forms of racism and xenophobia affecting Peoples of African Descent in 
        the OSCE region'', and has since annually hosted antidiscrimination 
        initiatives focused on People of African Descent including focused on 
        hate crimes, women, political participation, strengthening civil 
        society, and other issues;
Whereas these efforts also include transatlantic meetings of Black and other 
        diverse legislators held annually at the European Parliament in 
        Brussels, Belgium, and in the United States Congress in Washington, DC, 
        including the April 17-19, 2009, ``Black European Summit: Transatlantic 
        Dialogue on Political Participation'' and adoption of the Brussels 
        Declaration on political participation; and subsequent ``Transatlantic 
        Minority Political Leadership Conferences'';
Whereas, as part of the March 24, 2011, Transatlantic Minority Political 
        Leadership Conference (TMPLC), legislators and minority leaders from 
        North America and Europe held a Parliamentary Forum at the European 
        Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss a ``Joint Action Plan on 
        Racial and Ethnic Equality and Inclusion'' between the European Union 
        and United States;
Whereas, in 2011, Members of the Transatlantic Minority Political Leadership 
        Conference worked in partnership with the German Marshall Fund, the 
        Department of State, and other stakeholders to found the Transatlantic 
        Inclusion Leaders Network (TILN) to increase diverse representation in 
        policymaking;
Whereas, in October 2013, European Parliamentarians in partnership with the 
        European Network Against Racism (ENAR) held ``(In)visible Diversity'' a 
        series of debates in the European Parliament, including a debate 
        entitled, ``People of African Descent and Black Europeans: Realities of 
        Afrophobia'' and in 2015 released the first pan-European policy guide 
        reviewing the current situation entitled, ``ENAR Anti-Racism in Focus 2 
        - InvisibleVisible Minority: Confronting Afrophobia and Advancing 
        Equality for People of African Descent and Black Europeans in Europe'';
Whereas, in January 2017, the European Network Against Racism published, 
        ``Towards an EU Framework for National Strategies to Combat Afrophobia 
        and Promote Inclusion of People of African Descent and Black Europeans'' 
        to urge EU member states to adopt ``strong and specific policies to 
        address Afrophobia, including its structural dimensions and impact on 
        economic and social outcomes for people of African descent and Black 
        Europeans, including in employment, housing, education, health, 
        political participation, criminal justice and other sectors'';
Whereas, on July 25, 2017, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights 
        stated, ``The position of Black people in Europe needs to be 
        strengthened, irrespective of whether it concerns recent migrants from 
        Africa or already established Black communities [. . .] European states 
        must first come to terms with their own past [including] publicly 
        acknowledge that slavery, the slave trade and colonialism are among the 
        major sources of current discrimination against Black people.'', and 
        recommended European states implement strategies across health, 
        education, justice, employment, and other sectors;
Whereas, in October 2017, the United Kingdom Prime Minister released the Race 
        Disparity Audit ``examin[ing] how people of different backgrounds are 
        treated across areas including health, education, employment and the 
        criminal justice system'', which found inequalities in education, 
        housing, income and employment, justice, and health between persons of 
        African and Caribbean background and others, and has since published the 
        findings online, appointed a Special Advisor, created a Race Disparity 
        Advisory Group, and announced 90 million British pounds to implement 
        strategies to address disparities found by the audit;
Whereas, in 2018, Polish Sejm member Killion Munyama, Rapporteur of the 
        Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Committee on Equality 
        and Non-Discrimination authored measures that were adopted on 
        ``Promoting diversity and equality in politics'' that identified 
        challenges to political participation faced by visible minorities and 
        due to skin color;
Whereas, on May 13 through 17, 2018, the European Parliament and European 
        Economic and Social Committee, under the leadership of European 
        Parliamentarian Cecile Kyenge of Italy, hosted the inaugural People of 
        African Descent Week (PAD Week) in Brussels, Belgium, in partnership 
        with the European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup 
        (ARDI), Transatlantic Minority Political Leadership Conference (TMPLC), 
        Each One Teach One (EOTO), the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), 
        and supported by congressional Members of the United States Helsinki 
        Commission;
Whereas PAD Week featured over a hundred experts, activists, and policymakers to 
        increase awareness of people of African descent living in Europe and to 
        discuss solutions to address the racial discrimination and violence they 
        face;
Whereas Member of the European Parliament Cecile Kyenge stated, ``In addition to 
        honouring the history and contribution of Europe's Black population, the 
        People of African Descent Week reaffirms European values by developing 
        strategic and coherent responses to make our society more inclusive in 
        the face of rising racial prejudice and violence across Europe.'';
Whereas PAD Week final recommendations call on European Union institutions and 
        national governments to specifically adopt a set of initiatives for 
        Black Europeans, including--

    (1) recognize past injustices and contributions; adopt a European Black 
History Month and Remembrance Day for Victims of Colonialism and 
Enslavement;

    (2) fund Black European led initiatives to address continuing 
disparities and discrimination, and support empowerment initiatives through 
the creation of caucuses, civil society funds, and fellowships;

    (3) adopt a Parliamentary Resolution and EU Framework for National 
Strategies for Inclusion of People of African Descent in Europe; and

    (4) support transatlantic exchanges to support common solutions to 
common issues of racial prejudice and discrimination; and

Whereas in addition to EU institutions affiliated with PAD Week, international 
        entities, such as the OSCE Personal Representative on Combating Racism, 
        Xenophobia and Discrimination and OSCE/ODIHR Tolerance and Non-
        Discrimination Unit, EUFRA, the COE Human Rights Commissioner and ECRI, 
        and the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial 
        Discrimination, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, 
        Independent Expert on Minority Issues, and Experts Working Group on 
        People of African Descent, have documented ongoing racism and 
        xenophobia, and racial and ethnic discrimination, and called for an 
        increase in initiatives to combat racism and inequality and foster 
        inclusion: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) encourages the recognition and celebration of the 
        collective history and achievements made by people of African 
        descent;
            (2) reaffirms the importance of inclusion and the full and 
        equal participation of people of African descent around the 
        world in all aspects of political, economic, social, and 
        cultural life;
            (3) recognizes that, as a result of their skin color and 
        ancestry, many Black Europeans have wrongfully experienced 
        injustices in the public and private sector;
            (4) welcomes parliamentary activities, including those of 
        the European Parliament (EP), Organization for Security and 
        Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, 
        Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and 
        United States Congress, to engage in efforts to promote racial 
        equality and combat racial discrimination through efforts such 
        as introducing legislation, speaking out against racism, 
        increasing the political participation of diverse populations 
        through initiatives such as the Transatlantic Minority 
        Political Leadership Conference and Transatlantic Inclusion 
        Leaders Network, and working with Black European and other 
        diverse communities to develop relevant policies;
            (5) urges European governments and members of civil society 
        and the private sector, in consultation with Black European 
        communities, to develop and implement initiatives to combat 
        racial discrimination and promote racial equality and inclusion 
        in Europe, by--
                    (A) drafting and implementing an EU Framework for 
                National Strategies to Promote Inclusion of and Combat 
                Discrimination towards People of African Descent and 
                Black Europeans;
                    (B) drafting and implementing anti-discrimination, 
                special measures, hate crimes, migration and 
                integration, inclusion, and other laws and policies to 
                address discrimination and disparities and promote 
                equality, noting the recommendations of the United 
                Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial 
                Discrimination, the Experts Working Group on People of 
                African Descent (WGPAD), the European Union Fundamental 
                Rights Agency (EUFRA), the United Nations Special 
                Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism and 
                Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Council of 
                Europe Human Rights Commissioner and European 
                Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), and 
                the OSCE Personal Representative on Combating Racism, 
                Xenophobia and Discrimination and OSCE/ODIHR Tolerance 
                and Non-Discrimination Unit;
                    (C) promoting and funding research, including the 
                collection of national census data on Black Europeans 
                and its inclusion in the annual reports of the EUFRA 
                and other official reporting at the EU and national 
                levels;
                    (D) providing technical support, training, and 
                funding to Black European civil society and private 
                sector groups and experts working to combat racism, 
                discrimination, and inequality, uphold basic human 
                rights in Europe, and to increase economic opportunity 
                and empowerment;
                    (E) introducing national measures to counter 
                stereotypical images of persons of African descent, by 
                revising textbooks, increasing efforts to include Black 
                Europeans in history and heritage institutions, and 
                remembering victims of colonialism, enslavement, and 
                other atrocities;
                    (F) developing or increasing financial support for 
                funds to assist victims of hate crimes with legal 
                assistance and compensation when incapacitated due to 
                physical or emotional injuries;
                    (G) developing specific initiatives that address 
                the special concerns of Black European men, women, and 
                youth, including increasing initiatives related to 
                migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers;
                    (H) actively promoting racial and ethnic 
                representation and participation at all levels of 
                national, regional, and local government through the 
                education of civil and political rights, including the 
                legislative process and advocacy of legislative issues 
                relevant to racial and ethnic communities, development 
                of targeted professional advancement and hiring 
                strategies, increased youth and community outreach, and 
                self-organization and other empowerment initiatives; 
                and
                    (I) recruiting, training, hiring, and retaining 
                Black Europeans for professional positions in support 
                of these initiatives;
            (6) urges the Secretary of State and Administrator of the 
        United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to--
                    (A) provide technical assistance and other support 
                for European governments and members of the civil 
                society and private sector to fulfill the initiatives 
                described above, including by expanding United States 
                Government efforts with the OSCE to increase the 
                capacity of members of African Descent communities to 
                address discrimination;
                    (B) increase support for the WGPAD and 
                International Decade for People of African Descent; and
                    (C) by establishing a Global Office of African 
                Descent Affairs within the Department of State headed 
                by senior officials to develop and implement global 
                foreign policy and assistance strategies to improve the 
                situation of people of African descent around the 
                world, create a Department of State ``Fund'' to support 
                antidiscrimination and empowerment efforts by African 
                descent led civil society organizations around the 
                world, and include a section on discrimination faced by 
                people of African descent in the Department of State's 
                Annual Country Reports Human Rights Practices, and 
                working with USAID and other United States Government 
                agencies to implement the strategy;
            (7) supports the adoption of a ``Joint Action Plan on 
        Racial and Ethnic Equality and Inclusion'' between the European 
        Union and United States modeled after similar United States 
        agreements with Colombia and Brazil, and implementation of the 
        OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Resolutions on People of African 
        Descent and addressing racial and xenophobic violence and 
        discrimination to assist in fulfilling the initiatives above; 
        and
            (8) urges the Secretary of State and the Administrator of 
        USAID to provide a report to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
        and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the Senate on Department of 
        State and USAID efforts to address global racial and ethnic 
        discrimination, including any funding efforts or international 
        exchange opportunities for civil society.
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