[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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