[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 14, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 361--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE RECOGNITION OF JULY 
AS ``MUSLIM-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH'' AND CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE AND 
            CULTURE OF MUSLIM AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Coons, Ms. Duckworth, 
Mr. Durbin, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Van Hollen) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 361

       Whereas the Senate is proud to recognize and commemorate 
     ``Muslim-American Heritage Month'', an observance that 
     celebrates the contributions of Muslim Americans;
       Whereas in keeping with its time-honored traditions, the 
     Senate recognizes and pays tribute to those who foster 
     cultural pride and enhance the profile of diverse communities 
     across the United States;
       Whereas immigration of Muslims to the colonies of the 
     United States began with the arrival of indentured workers;
       Whereas, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a 
     significant number of slaves of Muslim heritage were brought 
     to the United States;
       Whereas, in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, successive 
     waves of immigration brought additional Muslims to the United 
     States, who sought to pursue economic and social opportunity 
     as well as freedom of religion and enriched the fabric of the 
     society of the United States as business owners, 
     entrepreneurs, health care professionals, humanitarians, 
     scientists, and students;
       Whereas Muslim Americans contribute greatly to charitable 
     organizations that help people from all faiths in the United 
     States and around the world by feeding the hungry, providing 
     recuperation efforts following natural disasters, and 
     providing medical assistance, family services, scholastic 
     supplies, and before- and after-school programs;
       Whereas Muslim Americans have contributed to every part of 
     the society of the United States to make advancements in 
     architecture, arts, business, culture, diplomacy, government, 
     law, medicine, the military, national security, religion, and 
     sports;
       Whereas Bangladeshi-American Fazlur Rahman Khan left his 
     mark on cityscapes in the United States by pioneering a new 
     structural system of frame tubes used to construct iconic 
     buildings like the World Trade Center in New York City, the 
     Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, and the Willis 
     ``Sears'' Tower in Chicago;
       Whereas many Muslim Americans pursue the American dream and 
     contribute to the Nation's economy as business owners and 
     entrepreneurs, including Pakistani-born billionaire Shahid 
     Khan, owner of the auto-parts company Flex-N-Gate and the 
     National Football League Jacksonville Jaguars;
       Whereas Syrian immigrant Ernest Hamwi's invention of the 
     ice cream cone is a practical confection with a near 
     ubiquitous presence in the lives of the people of the United 
     States;
       Whereas, in 2006, Keith Ellison of Minnesota was elected to 
     the House of Representatives, becoming the first Muslim 
     American to serve in Congress;
       Whereas, in 2008, Ambassador Sada Cumber was appointed by 
     President George W. Bush to serve as first Special Envoy to 
     the Organization of the Islamic Conference from the United 
     States, representing the United States to 57 Muslim-majority 
     nations;
       Whereas, in 2021, Zahid Quraishi was confirmed as the first 
     Muslim American to serve as an Article III Federal judge as a 
     District Judge of the United States District Court for the 
     District of New Jersey;
       Whereas Pakistani-American neurosurgeon Ayub Ommaya's 
     invention of the intraventricular catheter system provides 
     chemotherapy to treat brain tumors;
       Whereas Muslim Americans have fought in support of the 
     United States in every major war, from Bampett Muhamed and 
     Yusuf Ben Ali under the command of General George Washington 
     in the American Revolutionary War to Captain Humayun Khan, 
     who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq in 2004;
       Whereas Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, the first Muslim 
     American to deliver the invocation for the Senate, and El-
     Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, the civil rights activist and reformer 
     also known as Malcolm X, were prominent religious leaders and 
     scholars;
       Whereas professional athletes like National Basketball 
     Association Hall of Fame members Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Hakeem 
     Olajuwon, and Shaquille O'Neal, and 2-time world heavyweight 
     champion Hasim Shariff Rahman thrilled sports fans across the 
     Nation and around the globe during their respective careers;
       Whereas Olympians, like boxer Muhammad Ali, track and field 
     athlete Dalilah Muhammad, and fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, won 
     medals in international competitions;
       Whereas, with roots in at least 77 different countries, and 
     identifying racially as White, Black, Arab, and Asian, Muslim 
     Americans are an extremely diverse population;
       Whereas the current population of Muslims living in the 
     United States is estimated at more than 3,450,000;
       Whereas more than 4,500 Muslims serve on active duty and 
     more than 2,300 Muslims serve as selected reserve personnel 
     in the Armed Forces;
       Whereas the Muslim population has been growing in the 
     United States and the Muslim American population is a 
     tapestry of ethnic, racial, linguistic, social, and economic 
     groups;
       Whereas nearly 50 percent of Muslim Americans have reported 
     experiencing religious discrimination, with that number 
     rising to 64 percent for Muslim Americans whose appearance 
     identifies them as Muslim, such as women who wear the hijab, 
     or headscarf;
       Whereas there is a need for public education, awareness, 
     and policies that are culturally competent when describing, 
     discussing, or addressing the impacts of being Muslim 
     American in all aspects of the society of the United States, 
     including in discourse and policy;
       Whereas ``Muslim-American Heritage Month'' will be observed 
     in the month of July; and
       Whereas the incredible contributions and heritage of Muslim 
     Americans have helped to build a better Nation: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of ``Muslim-American Heritage 
     Month'';
       (2) honors the contributions and integral role of Muslim 
     Americans in the economy, culture, and identity of the United 
     States; and
       (3) urges the people of the United States to observe 
     ``Muslim-American Heritage Month'' with appropriate 
     ceremonies, programs, and activities that celebrate the 
     contributions of Muslim Americans to the United States.

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