A resolution celebrating the heritage of Romani Americans.

Mr. President, today, I am introducing, along with Senator Wicker, a resolution that celebrates Romani American heritage.

As a member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism and Intolerance, I have long worked to improve the situation of Roma throughout the OSCE region. This includes efforts to advance human rights compliant policing, ending ethnic and religious profiling, supporting diversity and inclusion in the U.S. national security workforce and human rights training for foreign service officers, and supporting free and fair elections in the OSCE participating States. I also supported the appointment of Dr. Ethel Brooks to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Council, on which I also currently serve.

The resolution we are introducing today does four things.

First, it recognizes and celebrates Romani American heritage. Roma have come to the United States with every wave of European migration since the colonial period. In the United States, there may be as many as one million Americans with some Romani ancestry, whether distant or more recent. Romani people have made distinct and important contributions in many fields, including agriculture, art, crafts, literature, medicine, military service, music, sports, and science.

Second, it supports International Roma Day and the Department of State's robust engagement in activities to that occasion. In 1971, on April 8th, 1971, the First World Romani Congress met in London, bringing Roma together from across Europe and the United States with the goal of promoting transnational cooperation among Roma, combating social marginalization, and building a positive future for Roma everywhere. April 8th is now celebrated as ``International Roma Day'' around the world. U.S. ambassadors and our embassies across Europe are frequently asked to participate in April 8th celebrations across the region. I commend the important work they are doing as they demonstrate U.S. commitment to inclusive societies not only on April 8th, but also throughout the year.

Third, this resolution commemorates the destruction of the so-called ``Gypsy Family Camp'' at Auschwitz. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 500,000 Romani people were killed in death camps and elsewhere throughout Europe. On August 2-3, 1944, Nazis murdered between 4,200 and 4,300 Romani men, women, and children in gas chambers when the Nazis decided to liquidate this camp. A number of governments in recent years have taken important steps to commemorate the genocide of Roma, to remember the victims, and educate future generations. Germany took an important step when it opened in Berlin a memorial for Sinti and Roma victims of National Socialism. I also welcome the Czech government's decision to remove the pig farm at the site of the Lety concentration camp the role of the Museum of Romani Culture in ensuring a proper memorialization of that sensitive site.

Finally, this resolution commends the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for its critically important role in promoting remembrance of the Holocaust and educating audiences about the genocide of Roma. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is the preeminent federal institution dedicated to serving as a living memorial to the Holocaust. I am honored to serve as a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Council, and I welcome the initiatives of the Museum to ensure that Romani victims are remembered and that related scholarship is supported.

I am pleased that Sen. Wicker has joined me in introducing this resolution and urge other colleagues to join us in celebrating Romani American heritage.

Madam President, I rise today to speak about S. Res. 124 that Senator Wicker and I introduced last year celebrating the heritage of Romani Americans. I applaud the passage of this resolution which was voted on favorably in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today and will now be moved to the Senate floor for consideration.

This resolution is significant as it expresses remembrance for the genocide of the Roma by the Nazis, commends the work of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in promoting this remembrance and awareness, and further expresses support for the annual International Roma Day to honor the history, culture, and heritage of the Romani people in the United States. Roma have been part of every single wave of European migration to the United States from the Colonial period to today, and there are now an estimated 1 million Americans who have some Romani ancestry. S. Res. 124 is the first resolution considered in Congress to acknowledge Romani Americans and to celebrate their heritage and history. Its passage will be a milestone for this community.

When Senator Wicker and I introduced S. Res. 124, we observed that Romani people enrich the fabric of our Nation and strengthen the transatlantic bond. The resolution mentions two dates of particular importance on both sides of the Atlantic. First, April 8 was the date of the first World Romani Congress, held near London. That date is therefore celebrated as the moment when transatlantic efforts to improve the situation of the Roma entered a new, more visible and more productive stage.

But more than that, it has become time for policymakers to focus on continued efforts to improve the situation of Roma. Ugly discrimination against the Roma persists and needs to be addressed. The European Parliament, for example, dedicates a week in April to review and advance Romani inclusion initiatives. Governments across Europe and the OSCE also use this as a time to focus on policy and the future. This resolution welcomes and encourages the Department of State's participation in such events and activities.

The second date specifically mentioned in the resolution is the night of August 2-3, 1944, when the Romani camp at Auschwitz was liquidated and more than 4,200 Romani men, women, and children were killed in a single night.

This day has been formally recognized as a day of commemoration by

the European Union, Poland, and other countries. Based on my work over many years in the Helsinki Commission, I know that the current situation of Roma in Europe today simply cannot be understood without learning about the genocide of Roma during World War II and the enduring legacy of that tragedy.

I believe more should be done to teach about Romani experiences during the Holocaust, and we welcome the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's support for scholarship in this area. This resolution commends the Museum for its work in promoting remembrance of the Holocaust and educating successor generations about the genocide of Roma.

The museum welcomed the introduction of this resolution last year, observing, ``House and Senate passage will help raise awareness about the history of the Romani people, the richness of Romani culture, and to unequivocally reject the dehumanization of Roma and any violence directed against their communities.'' I look forward to the opportunity for this resolution to be adopted by the Senate. I ask unanimous consent that the text of S. Res. 124 be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 408, S. Res. 124.

Mr. President, I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendment to the resolution be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the committee-reported substitute amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.