April 30, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 70 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S2523-S2524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 176--CONDEMNING THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON CHRISTIAN 
WORSHIPERS IN SRI LANKA ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2019, AND STANDING 
   WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA TO ENCOURAGE THE PROTECTION AND 
                  PRESERVATION OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES

  Mr. HAWLEY (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Blunt, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. 
Roberts, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Perdue) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 176

       Whereas, on the morning of April 21, 2019, Easter Sunday, 7 
     Islamist suicide bombers carried out coordinated attacks on--
       (1) the Shrine of St. Anthony Church in Colombo, Sri Lanka;
       (2) St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, Sri Lanka;
       (3) Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka;

[[Page S2524]]

       (4) Zion Evangelical Church in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka;
       (5) a guest house near the National Zoo of Sri Lanka; and
       (6) a housing complex in Dematagoda, Sri Lanka;
       Whereas more than 250 people were killed and more than 500 
     people were injured in the attacks;
       Whereas the attackers acted in the name of National 
     Thowheeth Jama'ath (referred to in this preamble as ``NTJ''), 
     a local Islamist group that had previously attacked Buddhist 
     monks and statues;
       Whereas NTJ has ties to global Islamist terrorist 
     organizations and subscribes to an intolerant Wahhabi 
     ideology that condones violence against non-Muslims and 
     fellow Muslims; and
       Whereas the Wall Street Journal has reported that, 
     according to SITE, a terrorist-monitoring firm, on Tuesday, 
     April 23, 2019, the Islamic State released a video claiming 
     responsibility for the attacks, stating that ``the executors 
     of the attack that targeted citizens of coalition states and 
     Christians in Sri Lanka two days ago were Islamic State 
     fighters'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the April 21, 2019, terrorist attacks in Sri 
     Lanka as--
       (A) targeted principally against Christians because of 
     their faith, on their holy day of Easter, during their Easter 
     prayers; and
       (B) perpetrated by radical Islamist terrorists acting in 
     the name of a hateful radical Islamist ideology;
       (2) considers the April 21, 2019, terrorist attacks to be 
     an attack on--
       (A) all Christians and members of all faiths in Sri Lanka 
     and around the world; and
       (B) the basic human liberty of freedom of religion;
       (3) stands with the Government of Sri Lanka in bringing 
     peace and security to the citizens of Sri Lanka, particularly 
     the religious communities of Sri Lanka; and
       (4) calls on Sri Lanka and all governments--
       (A) to protect the freedom of religion, at home and abroad; 
     and
       (B) to partner with the United States in advancing security 
     and freedom.

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