[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 662 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 662

Honoring the victims resulting from hate crimes, Islamophobia and anti-
  immigrant sentiment, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, where 
  individuals were targeted by violence and hatred because they were 
                   Muslim or perceived to be Muslim.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 20, 2021

    Ms. Johnson of Texas (for herself and Mr. Carson) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight 
 and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the victims resulting from hate crimes, Islamophobia and anti-
  immigrant sentiment, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, where 
  individuals were targeted by violence and hatred because they were 
                   Muslim or perceived to be Muslim.

Whereas Arab, South Asian, Sikh, and Muslim-American communities have been the 
        targets of numerous hate crimes over the past two decades since the 
        events of September 11, 2001;
Whereas Islamophobia has been a growing threat to communities and is on the rise 
        since the events of September 11, 2001;
Whereas the use of Islamophobic language has resulted in Muslim Americans or 
        those who were perceived to be Muslim being harassed, assaulted, and 
        scapegoated for many forms of terrorism;
Whereas Islamophobia is actively being spread by a network of closely connected 
        and well-funded organizations and activists that seek to propagate 
        misinformation about Arabs, Islam, and American Muslims and provide 
        support for legislation that curtails the rights of religious 
        minorities;
Whereas the Muslim population in the United States is estimated at around 
        3,500,000 and is made up of diverse ethnic members;
Whereas the Arab population in the United States is estimated at around 
        3,500,000, and that community is made up of diverse religious beliefs 
        and countries of national origin;
Whereas, though many people may identify Muslims as being Arab, close to two-
        thirds of the Arab population is Christian;
Whereas the Muslim community is incredibly diverse and not limited to Arabs, but 
        also Middle East and North Africans, Afrasians, African Americans, South 
        Asians, Turks, Iranians, Bosnians, Malays, Indonesians, Nigerians, 
        Somalis, Liberians, Kenyans, and Senegalese, among others;
Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation (in this resolution referred to as 
        the ``FBI'') identifies hate crime as ``traditional offense like murder, 
        arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias'';
Whereas, during the past year, race has been cited as the primary reason for 
        discrimination, making up over 90 percent of incidents;
Whereas the war on terror in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks has 
        increased instances of Islamophobia and hate crimes committed against 
        Muslims, or those thought to be Muslim;
Whereas, in 2001, reported FBI data showed there were 481 incidents made up of 
        546 offenses having 554 victims of crimes motivated by bias toward the 
        Islam or committed against those perceived to be Muslim;
Whereas, from 2001 to 2019, reported FBI data show there were 3,489 incidents 
        made up of 4,058 offenses having 4,234 victims of crimes motivated by 
        bias toward the Islam or committed against those perceived to be Muslim;
Whereas hate crimes touch not only the individual victim, but they also affect 
        the entire group associated with the particular bias motivation;
Whereas unfair and inaccurate stereotyping can make victims of all who share the 
        same race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or 
        disability;
Whereas there remains much to be done to ensure that Muslims or those who are 
        perceived to be Muslim are not unfairly targeted in the United States 
        and have access to resources and a voice in the government;
Whereas the rise of hate speech in the media contributes toward creating social 
        bias against a sector of society, which fuels the ignorance that can 
        drive certain individuals toward acts of hatred and violence;
Whereas hate crimes harm not only the victim or victims, but also traumatize 
        entire communities and damage public confidence in their safety;
Whereas the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee documented over 700 
        violent incidents targeting Arab Americans in the first nine weeks 
        following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
Whereas Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh, was gunned down in Mesa, Arizona, on 
        September 15, 2001;
Whereas Waqar Hasan was murdered in Dallas, Texas, on September 15, 2001;
Whereas Adel Karas, an Egyptian Coptic Christian, was murdered in San Gabriel, 
        California, on September 15, 2001;
Whereas Ali Almansoop was murdered in Lincoln Park, Michigan, on September 17, 
        2001;
Whereas Abdo Ali Ahmed was murdered in Reedly, California, on September 29, 
        2001;
Whereas Vasudev Patel, a Hindu, was murdered in Dallas, Texas, on October 4, 
        2001;
Whereas Abdullah Nimer was murdered in Los Angeles, California, on October 13, 
        2001;
Whereas Ali W. Ali was murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on October 15, 2001; 
        and
Whereas Ramez Younan was murdered in Los Angeles, California, on October 18, 
        2001: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the horrific 
        terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, in New 
        York, New York, Washington, DC, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania;
            (2) wishes to recognize the victims and express condolences 
        to surviving family members for this senseless loss of life;
            (3) wishes to recognize the victims and express condolences 
        to surviving family members of Islamophobic hate crimes or hate 
        crimes committed against those perceived to be Muslim in the 
        United States since the events of September 11, 2001;
            (4) encourages the 9/11 Commission to recognize the victims 
        and survivors of post 9/11 hate crimes;
            (5) represents and upholds the human rights and dignity of 
        all its citizens and decries the escalation of intimidation, 
        violence, vandalism, and arson, which continues to be on the 
        rise against people or institutions perceived to be Muslim;
            (6) condemns all manifestations and expressions of racism, 
        xenophobia, discrimination, Islamophobic sentiment, 
        scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance;
            (7) recognizes the positive contributions which Arabs, 
        Muslims, Sikhs, and South Asians make to United States society 
        as part of the diverse fabric of cultures in the Nation and 
        affirms to uphold the rights of religious freedom enshrined in 
        the Constitution; and
            (8) recommits the United States to serving as a world 
        leader in building an accepting and diverse society by 
        condemning all results and expressions of racism, xenophobia, 
        ethnic, and religious intolerance that Muslim Americans have 
        faced.
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