A resolution condemning bigotry and violence against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South-Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 10 a.m., on Media Ownership, in SR-253.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a hearing on Iraq Stabilization and Reconstruction: U.S. Policy and Plans.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 10 a.m., in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct an oversight hearing on the Status of Telecommunications in Indian Country.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a mark up on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., in Dirksen Room 226.

I. Nominations: Michael Chertoff to the U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; David G. Campbell to the U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona; Robert D. McCallum to be Associate Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice; Peter D. Keisler to be Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice; R. Hewitt Pate to be Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice; and David B. Rivkin to the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission.

II. Bills: S. 554, A bill to allow media coverage of court proceedings [Grassley/Cornyn/Craig/DeWine/Graham/Schumer]; S. 1023, A bill to increase the annual salaries of justices and judges of the United States [Hatch/Chambliss/Cornyn/Durbin/Feinstein/Kennedy/Leahy]; S. 858, A bill to extend the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and for other purposes [Durbin/Bunning]; S. Res. 136, A resolution recognizing the 140th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and congratulating members and officers of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for the union's many achievements [Kennedy/DeWine]; S. Res. 92, A resolution designating September 17, 2003 as ``Constitution Day'' [DeWine/Hatch]; S. Res. 145, Designating June 2003 as ``National Safety Month'' [Fitzgerald/Feinstein]; and S. Res. 133, A resolution condemning bigotry and violence against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South-Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans [Durbin/Biden/Chambliss/DeWine/Feingold].

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Judicial Nominations'' on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 2 p.m., in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Panel I: [senators].

Panel II: Richard C. Wesley to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

Panel III: J. Ronnie Greer to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee; Thomas M. Hardiman to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania; Mark R. Kravitz to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut; and John A. Woodcock, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maine.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a closed hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Communications be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 22, 2003, in Rural Wireless Broadband, at 2:30 p.m. in SD-562.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Competition, Foreign Commerce and Infrastructure be authorized to meet on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 2:30 p.m., on NHTSA Reauthorization, in SR-253.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Economic Policy of the

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on May 22, 2003, at 10 a.m., to conduct an oversight hearing on ``Jumpstarting the Economy: Increasing Investment in the Equity Markets.''

Mr. President, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South-Asian Americans are an important part of America. Like other ethnic and religious groups, they and their ancestors came to this country seeking political freedom and economic opportunity. They have flourished, making great contributions to our society every day. They are

armed service-members, law enforcement officers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and businesspeople. They are leaders in American society, including members of Congress and Cabinet members.

Tragically, in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, some misguided bigots turned against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South-Asian Americans, singling them out as targets for violence and threats of violence. Hate crimes against these communities, including violent physical assaults, sharply increased. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that the number of anti- Muslim incidents rose 1600 percent from 2000 to 2001, largely due to this post-9/11 backlash.

In response, countless Americans came to the support of Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South-Asian Americans, condemning the attacks and embracing the affected communities. At that time, I submitted a resolution, which was unanimously approved, condemning bigotry and violence against Sikh Americans.

Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South-Asian Americans are suffering again, and it is again time to express our support for them. Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, hate crimes against these communities have spiked. For example, a man who law enforcement believe was motivated by anti-Arab sentiment allegedly shot four people to death in New York City during February and March. President Bush has declared that major combat operations in Iraq have ended, but hate crimes against Arab Americans, Muslims, South-Asian Americans, and Sikhs continue. For example, at the University of California Los Angeles, someone recently poured pig's blood on Muslim prayer rugs in an interdenominational chapel. The FBI is investigating the incident as a bias-motivated crime.

Hate crimes against these communities are wrong and un-American. We must condemn them in the strongest terms, and law enforcement must investigate and prosecute vigorously the perpetrators.

Sadly, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South- Asian Americans are also increasingly concerned that the Federal Government views them with suspicion, and that they are being subjected to heightened government scrutiny as a result of their national origin or religion. Our counterterrorism efforts must not discriminate on the basis of national origin or religion or violate the civil liberties of innocent Americans. The government's efforts to combat terrorism must focus on criminal or terrorist behavior, not ethnicity or creed.

I believe that discriminatory counterterrorism tactics, or those that violate civil liberties, are not only wrong, but they do not make our country any safer. Our country's history demonstrates that respect for individual rights enhances our stability and security. Singling out a large group of mostly innocent Arabs, Muslims and South Asians squanders precious law enforcement resources and alienates communities whose cooperation we need. It runs counter to basic principles of community policing, which reject the use of racial and ethnic profiles and focus on building trust and respect by working cooperatively with community members.

The resolution I submit today recognizes that Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Sikh Americans, and South Asian Americans, greatly contribute to American society and serve honorably in the military or law enforcement, urges respect for civil rights and civil liberties, condemns bias-motivated crimes against members of these communities, and calls upon Federal and local law enforcement to prosecute such crimes vigorously. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. President, I support S. Res. 133, a resolution expressing the Senate's condemnation of acts of bigotry and violence against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South-Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans.

I am pleased to join the Senior Senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin, and the

Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Feingold, in sponsoring this resolution in the Senate. I would like to thank them for their leadership on this issue, along with the other Senators from both sides of the aisle who have joined us as cosponsors. And I would also like to thank Chairman Hatch, Ranking Member Leahy, and the members of the Judiciary Committee for their favorable action on the resolution.

Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South-Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans contribute greatly to American society. Many serve honorably in the armed services and as law enforcement officials. Like all law- abiding Americans, they deserve respect for their civil rights and civil liberties. This resolution condemns bias-motivated acts against members of these communities and calls upon Federal and local law enforcement to prosecute any criminal violations.

Regrettably, after the September 11 attacks and more recently after the start of military action in Iraq, acts of bigotry and violence against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South-Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans have increased. President Bush has condemned such incidents on more than one occasion, and it is appropriate for the Senate to join him and citizens across the country in expressing outrage over these acts.

I applaud the Senate's passage of this resolution, and I again thank the Senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin, and the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Feingold, for working with me on this important issue.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 133 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, all with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to this measure be printed in the Record.