[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 32 (Thursday, February 17, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S795-S796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 526--CONDEMNING THE ANTISEMITIC TERRORIST ATTACK THAT 
OCCURRED AT CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE ON JANUARY 15, 2022, IN 
 COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS, EXPRESSING GRATITUDE THAT NO INNOCENT LIVES WERE 
LOST, AND APPLAUDING THE DEDICATION AND BRAVERY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND 
        EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICIALS IN RESPONDING TO THE ATTACK

  Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Grassley, Ms. 
Baldwin, Mr. Risch, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Kaine, Mrs. 
Blackburn, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Hagerty, Mrs. 
Hyde-Smith, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Brown, Mr. Sullivan, 
Mr. Warnock, Mr. King, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Young, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Coons, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Blunt, 
Mr. Romney, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Moran, Mr. Braun, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cotton, 
Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Graham, Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Fischer, 
Mr. Tillis, Mr. Burr, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Booker, 
Mr. Kelly, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Warner, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Lankford, Mr. 
Portman, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Scott of South Carolina) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 526

       Whereas on the afternoon of January 15, 2022, 4 individuals 
     at Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas 
     were taken hostage and held at gunpoint by an armed 
     antisemitic terrorist;
       Whereas during the hostage standoff, the terrorist echoed 
     the demands of other militant Islamists, including the 
     Islamic State (ISIS), Ayman al-Zawahri, lieutenant to Osama 
     bin Laden and mastermind of many of deadliest al Qaeda terror 
     attacks, and others within al Qaeda, that the United States 
     release from Federal prison a certain radicalized terrorist 
     known as the ``Lady of al Qaeda'';
       Whereas the ``Lady of al Qaeda'' was captured in 
     Afghanistan with handwritten notes about perpetrating a 
     ``mass casualty attack'' and a list of targets located in the 
     United States that included the Empire State Building, the 
     Statue of Liberty, and Wall Street, and was later convicted 
     of the attempted murder and assault of United States 
     nationals in 2010 and sentenced to 86 years in prison;
       Whereas the hostages were able to run to safety and escape 
     due to the quick thinking and bravery of one of the hostages, 
     who threw a chair at the terrorist;
       Whereas the safe resolution to the January 15th terrorist 
     attack on Congregation Beth Israel demonstrated the critical 
     importance of professional safety and security training, 
     facility walk-throughs, and security assessments for all 
     Jewish community institutions;
       Whereas since 2005, through the Nonprofit Security Grant 
     Program, Congress has supported professional safety and 
     security training for houses of worship, which was conducted 
     by Jewish community institutions, including Congregation Beth 
     Israel Synagogue, and by the Secure Community Network under 
     the auspices of the Conference of Presidents of Major 
     American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Federations of 
     North America;
       Whereas the perpetrator targeted the people worshiping at 
     Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue because they were Jewish;
       Whereas the people of the United States are grateful for 
     the swift action of local, State, and Federal law enforcement 
     officials and emergency response teams who responded to this 
     vile and antisemitic attack;
       Whereas Good Shepherd Catholic Community Church provided 
     support and housed family members of the worshipers held 
     inside Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue during the 11-hour 
     standoff;
       Whereas Pleasant Run Baptist Church offered their thoughts 
     and support during the standoff, and allowed for their 
     parking lot to be used by the media;
       Whereas worshipers who were watching the service virtually 
     contacted local law enforcement officials once they realized 
     there was an incident underway at Congregation Beth Israel 
     Synagogue;
       Whereas antisemitism is a pernicious and offensive form of 
     prejudice that runs contrary to the values of the United 
     States; and
       Whereas in 2020 and 2021, there were 8,366 incidents of 
     extremism or antisemitism in the United States;
       Whereas while there can be no exhaustive definition of 
     antisemitism in all its many forms, the International 
     Holocaust Remembrance Alliance has developed the Working 
     Definition of Antisemitism, with examples, that serves as an 
     essential definitional tool used to determine contemporary 
     manifestations of antisemitism;
       Whereas more than half of the religiously motivated hate 
     crimes reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 
     2020 were anti-Jewish hate crimes;
       Whereas Jewish Americans make up about 2 percent of the 
     population of the United States but crimes against them make 
     up 55 percent of the anti-religious hate crimes in the United 
     States;
       Whereas the number of antisemitic incidents, including 
     assaults, vandalism, and harassment, in the United States 
     have increased over the past decade: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the antisemitic attack at Congregation Beth 
     Israel Synagogue of Colleyville, Texas on January 15, 2022;
       (2) expresses gratitude that there was no loss of innocent 
     life and that the hostages were able to escape unharmed and 
     return safely to their loved ones;

[[Page S796]]

       (3) honors the selfless and dedicated service of the law 
     enforcement and emergency response officials who responded to 
     the attack;
       (4) condemns antisemitism in the United States, and around 
     the world; and
       (5) reaffirms the commitment of the United States--
       (A) to condemn antisemitism in all its forms;
       (B) to protect the right of the people of the United States 
     to freely exercise their religious beliefs; and
       (C) to ensure the safety and security of all people of the 
     United States.

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