[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 58 (Wednesday, April 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              RECOGNIZING THE SIKH COMMUNITY IN NEW JERSEY

 Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
important contributions of the Sikh community in New Jersey and across 
the country. New Jersey is enriched by the diversity of its residents 
who have promoted a climate of social tolerance and intellectual 
pluralism that has sustained our State throughout its history. Since 
first immigrating to the United States from Punjab, India, over 100 
years ago, the Sikh community has played a critical role in enhancing 
and contributing to New Jersey and our Nation.
  This month, Sikhs in New Jersey and across the country will celebrate 
their most significant annual event, Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year; 
providing the Sikh community the time to remember history, celebrate 
collectively, and recommit to their religious traditions.
  The New Jersey Sikh community has demonstrated a strong commitment to 
public service. Every Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship, has a 
Langar, a free community kitchen that serves all visitors regardless of 
religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. The Langar 
instills the notion of equality and the brotherhood for all. Every 
November, the New Jersey Sikh community expands on this tradition and 
organizes the ``Let's Share a Meal'' event that distributes meals to 
homeless shelters in the area. In 2017, 275 Sikh community members 
prepared, packed, and delivered meals to 84 shelters over 2 days. This 
served more than 15,000 New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania 
residents.
  New Jersey also recently welcomed three Sikh Americans as new public 
officials. On January 1, 2018, Ravi Bhalla became Hoboken's 30th mayor 
and the State's first Sikh mayor. Bhalla had previously served two 
terms on Hoboken's city council. Although Bhalla experienced periodic 
hateful attacks during his mayoral campaign, voters resoundingly 
rejected such divisive rhetoric when they elected him mayor.
  In addition to electing its first Sikh mayor, New Jersey also elected 
Balvir Singh as a member of the Burlington County Board of Chosen 
Freeholders, making him the first Sikh American to win a countywide 
election in New Jersey. Singh, who served for nearly 2 years as a 
member of the Burlington Township Board of Education, was sworn into 
office on January 3, 2018.
  New Jersey is also home to the Nation's first Sikh State attorney 
general, Gurbir Grewal. Grewal had previously served as the Bergen 
County prosecutor. The State Senate unanimously approved his 
appointment by a 29-0 vote on January 16. Grewal will enforce the law 
in a manner that protects all New Jersey residents.
  The broad support that these three individuals garnered is a 
testament to New Jersey's culture of inclusion of individuals of all 
ethnicities and religious backgrounds.
  However, we know that Sikh Americans across the country continue to 
endure discrimination and hateful attacks, from school bullying to 
verbal assaults to violence.
  I invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing the important 
contributions of the Sikh community across the country as it celebrates 
its New Year festival. May we join with Sikh Americans in rejecting 
discrimination of any kind and embracing the rich diversity that makes 
each of our States strong and whole.

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