SENATE RESOLUTION 124--CONDEMNING THE MARCH 15, 2019, TERRORIST ATTACKS IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, OFFERING SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO ALL OF THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND EXPRESSING AND...; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 53
(Senate - March 27, 2019)
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[Pages S2055-S2056]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 124--CONDEMNING THE MARCH 15, 2019, TERRORIST ATTACKS
IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, OFFERING SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO ALL OF
THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND EXPRESSING AND STANDING IN
SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND
Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Peters, Mr. Gardner, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Schumer) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations:
S. Res. 124
Whereas, on March 15, 2019, an armed white supremacist
murdered 50 Muslims and injured dozens more at the Al Noor
and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand;
Whereas Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that ``[i]t
is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist
attack,'' noting that many of the victims could be migrants
or refugees, and pronouncing it ``one of New Zealand's
darkest days'';
Whereas the people of New Zealand are grieving following
the terrorist attacks, which targeted and killed innocent
men, women, and children;
Whereas the people of the United States and New Zealand
stood shoulder-to-shoulder and shared spilled blood in the
struggles of the 20th century to combat fascism, racism, and
other extremist ideologies;
Whereas New Zealand is among the closest allies of the
United States;
[[Page S2056]]
Whereas New Zealand is a diverse nation with a proud
tradition of immigration with more than 200 ethnicities and
160 languages, and the strength and vibrancy of New Zealand
are enhanced by the diverse religious beliefs and tolerance
of its citizens, including followers of all major religions,
including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism;
Whereas the suspect in the Christchurch killings is a self-
described immigrant-hating white supremacist who used a
helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live video of the
slaughter in an apparent effort to instigate further white
supremacist, anti-Muslim, and anti-immigrant violence;
Whereas, over the past several years, there has been a
disturbing increase in white supremacist violence around the
globe, with dozens of people of faith murdered, including in
their places of worship;
Whereas the scourge of white nationalism around the world
must be condemned unequivocally; and
Whereas the reprehensible attacks at the Al Noor and
Linwood mosques have no place in a peaceful, civilized,
tolerant world: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) condemns the horrific terrorist attacks on the Al Noor
and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand;
(2) expresses its deepest condolences to the victims of
those attacks and their families;
(3) expresses solidarity with the people of New Zealand,
including the Islamic community of New Zealand;
(4) recognizes the threat posed by white supremacist
terrorism and recommits United States leadership in building
more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant societies; and
(5) calls upon the United States Government to redouble its
efforts, using all available and appropriate tools, to combat
the spread of white supremacist terrorism.
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