[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 526 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 17, 2022
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, Mr.
Hickenlooper, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
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.
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;
(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.
<all>