[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 14 (Thursday, January 25, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S271-S272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 534--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE RECOGNITION OF 
   JANUARY AS ``MUSLIM-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH'' AND CELEBRATING THE 
     HERITAGE AND CULTURE OF MUSLIM AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Padilla, 
Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Welch, and 
Mr. Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 534

       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 American colonies 
     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 providing medical assistance, 
     family services, and scholastic supplies, running before- and 
     after-school programs, feeding the hungry, and providing 
     recuperation efforts following natural disasters;
       Whereas Muslim Americans have contributed to every part of 
     the society of the United States by making advancements in 
     architecture, arts, business, culture, government, law, 
     medicine, the military, religion, and sports;
       Whereas Bangladeshi-American Fazlur Rahman Khan left his 
     mark on the cityscapes of 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, New 
     York, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, 
     Minnesota, and the Willis ``Sears'' Tower in Chicago, 
     Illinois;
       Whereas many Muslim Americans pursue the American dream and 
     contribute to the

[[Page S272]]

     economy of the United States 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's 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 life 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 the first Special Envoy 
     to the Organization of the Islamic Conference from the United 
     States, representing the United States to 57 Muslim-majority 
     nations;
       Whereas actor Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim 
     American to win an Oscar for his supporting role in 
     ``Moonlight'' in 2017;
       Whereas, in 2018, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar 
     of Minnesota were elected to the House of Representatives, 
     becoming the first Muslim-American women to serve in 
     Congress;
       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, in 2021, Rashad Hussain was confirmed as the first 
     Muslim American to serve as the United States Ambassador-at-
     Large for International Religious Freedom;
       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 Muslim-American professional athletes like Naismith 
     Memorial Basketball 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 United States and around the globe during 
     their respective careers;
       Whereas Muslim-American Olympians, such as 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 over 3,450,000 individuals;
       Whereas over 4,500 Muslims serve on active duty, and over 
     2,300 Muslims serve as selected reserve personnel in the 
     Armed Forces;
       Whereas the Muslim population has been growing in the 
     United States, and today's 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 help people be culturally competent when 
     describing, discussing, or addressing the impacts that Muslim 
     Americans have on all aspects of the society of the United 
     States;
       Whereas ``Muslim-American Heritage Month'' will be observed 
     in the month of January; and
       Whereas the incredible contributions and heritage of Muslim 
     Americans have helped to build a better United States: 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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