[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 616 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 616

  Expressing the sense of Congress honoring the life and mourning the 
    loss of Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal of the Harris County 
                           Sheriff's Office.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 4, 2019

   Mrs. Fletcher (for herself, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Brady, Mr. Green of 
Texas, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Weber of Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Olson, Mr. 
     Cloud, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Babin, Ms. Speier, Mr. Cox of 
California, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Stevens, and Mr. Garamendi) submitted 
 the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress honoring the life and mourning the 
    loss of Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal of the Harris County 
                           Sheriff's Office.

Whereas, on Friday, September 27, 2019, in Houston, Texas, Lieutenant Sandeep 
        Singh Dhaliwal of the Harris County Sheriff's Office was killed by 
        gunfire while serving in the line of duty;
Whereas the senseless slaying of Lieutenant Dhaliwal represents a reminder that 
        the risks assumed by police officers daily in serving and protecting 
        their communities continue to be ever present;
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal was the first observant Sikh to serve in the Harris 
        County Sheriff's Office and was one of the first observant Sikhs in 
        Texas to receive a policy accommodation to practice his religion while 
        serving as a police officer;
Whereas Sikhs have struggled to win religious accommodations in the United 
        States in private employment, the armed services, and in most law 
        enforcement agencies nationwide, and often continue to remain segregated 
        from public view in their employment;
Whereas out of more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States, 
        about 25 law enforcement agencies have permitted accommodation for Sikhs 
        to wear their religious articles of faith, including the Harris County 
        Sheriff's Office, the New York City Police, the Chicago Police, the 
        Washington, DC Metropolitan Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 
        and the United States Secret Service, among others;
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal served admirably while maintaining his Sikh articles 
        of faith, including his turban (dastaar), steel bracelet (kara), and 
        unshorn hair (kesh) without impediment, which have deep spiritual and 
        moral significance;
Whereas, as Lieutenant Dhaliwal improved law enforcement's cultural 
        understanding of Sikhs by helping to dispel stereotypes about what 
        Americans look like, he served with distinction as an example of the 
        tireless contributions that religious minorities and marginalized 
        communities make to our country;
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal was widely regarded as a role model for Americans of 
        all faiths wishing to serve their communities in law enforcement and the 
        armed services, and his loss is felt deeply;
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal owned a successful trucking business before he sold 
        it to join the Sheriff's Office out of a sense of duty and desire to 
        build a bridge between the department and the Houston area Sikh 
        community;
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal was known to have a giving heart, coordinating 
        relief efforts for the community after Hurricane Harvey, and traveling 
        to Puerto Rico to provide aid to a colleague's relatives after Hurricane 
        Maria;
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal is survived by his wife and three children; and
Whereas in the face of this tragic loss, the people of Houston have come 
        together and dedicated themselves to honoring the bravery, dedication to 
        his community, and trailblazing work for Sikh Americans that Lieutenant 
        Dhaliwal exemplified: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives extends its condolences 
to the family and loved ones of Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, and 
the entire Harris County Sheriff's Office, and stands in solidarity 
with the people of Houston, Harris County, and the Sikh community 
across America, as they celebrate the life, and mourn the loss, of this 
remarkable and selfless hero who represented the very best of our 
Nation's ideals.
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