[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 99 (Thursday, June 9, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2888-S2889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE OF ROMANI AMERICANS

  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I rise today to speak about S. Res. 124 
that Senator Wicker and I introduced last year celebrating the heritage 
of Romani Americans. I applaud the passage of this resolution which was 
voted on favorably in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today and 
will now be moved to the Senate floor for consideration.
  This resolution is significant as it expresses remembrance for the 
genocide of the Roma by the Nazis, commends the work of the U.S. 
Holocaust Memorial Museum in promoting this remembrance and awareness, 
and further expresses support for the annual International Roma Day to 
honor the history, culture, and heritage of the Romani people in the 
United States. Roma have been part of every single wave of European 
migration to the United States from the Colonial period to today, and 
there are now an estimated 1 million Americans who have some Romani 
ancestry. S. Res. 124 is the first resolution considered in Congress to 
acknowledge Romani Americans and to celebrate their heritage and 
history. Its passage will be a milestone for this community.
  When Senator Wicker and I introduced S. Res. 124, we observed that 
Romani people enrich the fabric of our Nation and strengthen the 
transatlantic bond. The resolution mentions two dates of particular 
importance on both sides of the Atlantic. First, April 8 was the date 
of the first World Romani Congress, held near London. That date is 
therefore celebrated as the moment when transatlantic efforts to 
improve the situation of the Roma entered a new, more visible and more 
productive stage.
  But more than that, it has become time for policymakers to focus on 
continued efforts to improve the situation of Roma. Ugly discrimination 
against the Roma persists and needs to be addressed. The European 
Parliament, for example, dedicates a week in April to review and 
advance Romani inclusion initiatives. Governments across Europe and the 
OSCE also use this as a time to focus on policy and the future. This 
resolution welcomes and encourages the Department of State's 
participation in such events and activities.
  The second date specifically mentioned in the resolution is the night 
of August 2-3, 1944, when the Romani camp at Auschwitz was liquidated 
and more than 4,200 Romani men, women, and children were killed in a 
single night.
  This day has been formally recognized as a day of commemoration by

[[Page S2889]]

the European Union, Poland, and other countries. Based on my work over 
many years in the Helsinki Commission, I know that the current 
situation of Roma in Europe today simply cannot be understood without 
learning about the genocide of Roma during World War II and the 
enduring legacy of that tragedy.
  I believe more should be done to teach about Romani experiences 
during the Holocaust, and we welcome the U.S. Holocaust Memorial 
Museum's support for scholarship in this area. This resolution commends 
the Museum for its work in promoting remembrance of the Holocaust and 
educating successor generations about the genocide of Roma.
  The museum welcomed the introduction of this resolution last year, 
observing, ``House and Senate passage will help raise awareness about 
the history of the Romani people, the richness of Romani culture, and 
to unequivocally reject the dehumanization of Roma and any violence 
directed against their communities.'' I look forward to the opportunity 
for this resolution to be adopted by the Senate. I ask unanimous 
consent that the text of S. Res. 124 be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                              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.

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