[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 49 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 49
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 26, 2003
Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the sharp escalation of anti-
Semitic violence within many participating States of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is of profound concern
and efforts should be undertaken to prevent future occurrences.
Whereas the expressions of anti-Semitism experienced throughout the region
encompassing the participating States of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have included physical assaults, with
some instances involving weapons or stones, arson of synagogues, and
desecration of Jewish cultural sites, such as cemeteries and statues;
Whereas vicious propaganda and violence in many OSCE States against Jews,
foreigners, and others portrayed as alien have reached alarming levels,
in part due to the dangerous promotion of aggressive nationalism by
political figures and others;
Whereas violence and other manifestations of xenophobia and discrimination can
never be justified by political issues or international developments;
Whereas the Copenhagen Concluding Document adopted by the OSCE in 1990 was the
first international agreement to condemn anti-Semitic acts, and the OSCE
participating States pledged to ``clearly and unequivocally condemn
totalitarianism, racial and ethnic hatred, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and
discrimination against anyone as well as persecution on religious and
ideological grounds'';
Whereas the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at its meeting in Berlin in July 2002
unanimously adopted a resolution that, inter alia, called upon
participating States to ``ensure aggressive law enforcement by local and
national authorities, including thorough investigation of anti-Semitic
criminal acts, apprehension of perpetrators, initiation of appropriate
criminal prosecutions and judicial proceedings'';
Whereas Decision No. 6 adopted by the OSCE Ministerial Council at its Tenth
Meeting in Porto, Portugal in December 2002 (the ``Porto Ministerial
Declaration'') condemned ``the recent increase in anti-Semitic incidents
in the OSCE area, recognizing the role that the existence of anti-
Semitism has played throughout history as a major threat to freedom'';
Whereas the Porto Ministerial Declaration also urged ``the convening of
separately designated human dimension events on issues addressed in this
decision, including on the topics of anti-Semitism, discrimination and
racism and xenophobia''; and
Whereas on December 10, 2002, at the Washington Parliamentary Forum on
Confronting and Combating anti-Semitism in the OSCE Region,
representatives of the United States Congress and the German Parliament
agreed to denounce all forms of anti-Semitism and agreed that ``anti-
Semitic bigotry must have no place in our democratic societies'': Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) officials of the executive branch and Members of
Congress should raise the issue of anti-Semitism in their
bilateral contacts with other countries and at multilateral
fora, including meetings of the Permanent Council of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and
the Twelfth Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
to be convened in July 2003;
(2) participating States of the OSCE should unequivocally
condemn anti-Semitism (including violence against Jews and
Jewish cultural sites), racial and ethnic hatred, xenophobia,
and discrimination, as well as persecution on religious grounds
whenever it occurs;
(3) participating States of the OSCE should ensure
effective law enforcement by local and national authorities
against criminal acts stemming from anti-Semitism, xenophobia,
or racial or ethnic hatred, whether directed at individuals,
communities, or property, including thorough investigation and
prosecution of such acts;
(4) participating States of the OSCE should promote the
creation of educational efforts throughout the region
encompassing the participating States of the OSCE to counter
anti-Semitic stereotypes and attitudes among younger people,
increase Holocaust awareness programs, and help identify the
necessary resources to accomplish this goal;
(5) legislators in all OSCE participating States should
play a leading role in combating anti-Semitism and ensure that
the resolution adopted at the 2002 meeting of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly in Berlin is followed up by a series of
concrete actions at the national level; and
(6) the OSCE should organize a separately designated human
dimension event on anti-Semitism as early as possible in 2003,
consistent with the Porto Ministerial Declaration adopted by
the OSCE at the Tenth Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council
in December 2002.
Passed the House of Representatives June 25, 2003.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.