[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 51 (Thursday, March 18, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 124--CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE OF ROMANI AMERICANS
Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. Wicker) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 124
Whereas the Romani people trace their ancestry to the
Indian subcontinent;
Whereas Roma have been a part of European immigration to
the United States since the colonial period and particularly
following the abolition of the enslavement of Roma in the
historic Romanian principalities;
Whereas Roma live across the world and throughout the
United States;
Whereas the Romani people have made distinct and important
contributions in many fields, including agriculture, art,
crafts, literature, medicine, military service, music,
sports, and science;
Whereas, on April 8, 1971, the First World Romani Congress
met in London, bringing Roma together from across Europe and
the United States with the goal of promoting transnational
cooperation among Roma in combating social marginalization
and building a positive future for Roma everywhere;
Whereas April 8 is therefore celebrated globally as
International Roma Day;
Whereas Roma were victims of genocide carried out by Nazi
Germany and its Axis partners, and an estimated 200,000 to
500,000 Romani people were killed by Nazis and their allies
across Europe during World War II;
Whereas, on the night of August 2-3, 1944, the so-called
``Gypsy Family Camp'' where Romani people were interned at
Auschwitz-Birkenau was liquidated, and in a single night,
between 4,200 and 4,300 Romani men, women, and children were
killed in gas chambers;
Whereas many countries are taking positive steps to
remember and teach about the genocide of Roma by Nazi Germany
and its Axis partners; and
Whereas the United States Congress held its first hearing
to examine the situation of Roma in 1994: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) remembers the genocide of Roma by Nazi Germany and its
Axis partners and commemorates the destruction of the ``Gypsy
Family Camp'' where Romani people were interned at Auschwitz;
(2) commends the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
for its role in promoting remembrance of the Holocaust and
educating about the genocide of Roma;
(3) supports International Roma Day as an opportunity to
honor the culture, history, and heritage of the Romani people
in the United States as part of the larger Romani global
diaspora; and
(4) welcomes the Department of State's participation in
ceremonies and events celebrating International Roma Day and
similar engagement by the United States Government.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today, I am introducing, along with
Senator Wicker, a resolution that celebrates Romani American heritage.
As a member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism
and Intolerance, I have long worked to improve the situation of Roma
throughout the OSCE region. This includes efforts to advance human
rights compliant policing, ending ethnic and religious profiling,
supporting diversity and inclusion in the U.S. national security
workforce and human rights training for foreign service officers, and
supporting free and fair elections in the OSCE participating States. I
also supported the appointment of Dr. Ethel Brooks to the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum Council, on which I also currently serve.
The resolution we are introducing today does four things.
First, it recognizes and celebrates Romani American heritage. Roma
have come to the United States with every wave of European migration
since the colonial period. In the United States, there may be as many
as one million Americans with some Romani ancestry, whether distant or
more recent. Romani people have made distinct and important
contributions in many fields, including agriculture, art, crafts,
literature, medicine, military service, music, sports, and science.
Second, it supports International Roma Day and the Department of
State's robust engagement in activities to that occasion. In 1971, on
April 8th, 1971, the First World Romani Congress met in London,
bringing Roma together from across Europe and the United States with
the goal of promoting transnational cooperation among Roma, combating
social marginalization, and building a positive future for Roma
everywhere. April 8th is now celebrated as ``International Roma Day''
around the world. U.S. ambassadors and our embassies across Europe are
frequently asked to participate in April 8th celebrations across the
region. I commend the important work they are doing as they demonstrate
U.S. commitment to inclusive societies not only on April 8th, but also
throughout the year.
Third, this resolution commemorates the destruction of the so-called
``Gypsy Family Camp'' at Auschwitz. It is estimated that between
200,000 and 500,000 Romani people were killed in death camps and
elsewhere throughout Europe. On August 2-3, 1944, Nazis murdered
between 4,200 and 4,300 Romani men, women, and children in gas chambers
when the Nazis decided to liquidate this camp. A number of governments
in recent years have taken important steps to commemorate the genocide
of Roma, to remember the victims, and educate future generations.
Germany took an important step when it opened in Berlin a memorial for
Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialism. I also welcome the Czech
government's decision to remove the pig farm at the site of the Lety
concentration camp the role of the Museum of Romani Culture in ensuring
a proper memorialization of that sensitive site.
Finally, this resolution commends the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
for its critically important role in promoting remembrance of the
Holocaust and educating audiences about the genocide of Roma. The U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum is the preeminent federal institution
dedicated to serving as a living memorial to the Holocaust. I am
honored to serve as a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Council, and I welcome the initiatives of the Museum to ensure that
Romani victims are remembered and that related scholarship is
supported.
I am pleased that Sen. Wicker has joined me in introducing this
resolution and urge other colleagues to join us in celebrating Romani
American heritage.
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