*EPF109 07/31/00
Text: Senate Passes Resolution Acknowledging American Muslims
(Arab American Institute calls on House to follow suit) (620)

The United States Senate July 27 passed unanimously, without amendment, Senate Resolution 133 recognizing the significant contributions of America's more than 6 million Muslims, the Arab American Institute announced.

The House Judiciary Committee refused to release a companion version of this resolution in November 1999 and it remains stalled in the Committee, according to an Arab American Institute release dated July 28. The Institute called upon the House Committee to join the Senate.

Following is the text of the Arab American Institute release:

(begin text)

Senate Passes Historic Resolution Acknowledging
American Muslims & Pledging Tolerant Discourse

AAI Congratulates Sen. Abraham & Calls on House to Follow Suit

Washington, DC -- Last night, July 27, the Senate passed unanimously, without amendment, Senate Resolution 133 recognizing the significant contributions of America's more than 6 million Muslims. AAI is proud to congratulate the resolution's chief sponsor Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI) and co-sponsors Larry E. Craig (R-ID), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Charles Robb (D-VA), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN) on the measure's approval. Following passage, Senator Abraham noted, "I am very pleased that my colleagues joined me unanimously in: acknowledging that we need to have a more tolerant discourse toward Islam -- one of the three great monotheistic faiths."

By approving this resolution, the Senate has taken the lead in condemning anti-Muslim intolerance and in pledging to uphold a level of political discourse that does not scapegoat or stereotype Islam or its adherents. Speaking of his desire to pass the resolution, Senator Lieberman argued that it was "indeed the obligation -- for our nation to show greater tolerance towards Americans of Muslim faith" and noted that it was time to guarantee "the promise of our nation's ideals" to Muslims.

Since its original introduction in the 105th Congress in 1998, the Arab American Institute has worked closely with the office of Senator Abraham to ensure passage of this important resolution. AAI is particularly pleased with the substantive nature of the resolution, which includes the following passages:

"Whereas American Muslims and the Islamic religion have regrettably been portrayed in a negative light in some discussions of policy issues such as issues relating to religious persecution abroad or fighting terrorism in the United States;"

"Congress resolves to uphold a level of political discourse that rejects negatively stereotyping Islam."

Although the Senate has seen fit to pass this significant resolution intact, the House Judiciary Committee refused to release a companion version of this resolution in November 1999. Due to pressure from what some committee staffers described as "family" and "religious" groups, the Judiciary Committee demanded significant changes in the resolution's language -- changes that would have rendered the measure meaningless. Unnamed members of the House Judiciary Committee also objected to the resolution's assertion that there was a rush to judgement based on stereotypes of American Muslims and Islam in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing. The resolution remains stalled in the Judiciary Committee.

"Since our nation's founding, American Muslims have made great contributions to this country. We are proud to have played a role in ensuring that Congress acknowledges that. With the Senate's passage of this historic resolution, without any changes, they have taken the lead in ending the hurtful stereotyping and scapegoating of Islam and American Muslims. We can only hope that the House Judiciary Committee will soon join them," said AAI President James Zogby.

AAI is a national organization committed to the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web Site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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