III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 184 

Condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering sincere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and to 

the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and support 

for Sri Lanka. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 2, 2019 

Mr. RISCH (for himself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. GARDNER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. PETERS, Mr. KAINE, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CRUZ, 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. BROWN) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JUNE 3, 2019 

Reported by Mr. RISCH, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 

JUNE 10, 2019 

Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri 

Lanka, offering sincere condolences to the victims, to 

their families and friends, and to the people and nation 

of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and support for 

Sri Lanka. 

Whereas, on April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka suffered a horrific series of coordinated terrorist attacks that killed more than 

250 people and injured more than 500 additional people; 


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SRES 184 ATS 

Whereas the attacks targeted Christian churches, in which innocent men, women, and children were celebrating Easter 

Sunday; 

Whereas the attacks targeted several locations frequented by 

foreign tourists, resulting in the deaths of over 40 people 

from nations other than Sri Lanka, including five American citizens, including Dieter Kowalski, Amelie Linsey, 

Daniel Linsey, and Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa; 

Whereas Sri Lanka has determined that a local Islamist militant group perpetrated this horrifying attack and is responsible for the resulting loss of life, injury, and destruction; 

Whereas the use of nine suicide bombers in multiple locations 

demonstrates a high degree of coordination and planning; 

Whereas growing evidence links the Islamic State to these attacks, demonstrating this terrorist organization’s continued reach and capability to inflict terror, violence, and 

brutality around the world, despite its loss of physical 

territory; 

Whereas religious freedom is a foundational and universal 

right of all people, and religious freedom and tolerance 

are important to the flourishing of multi-religious societies like Sri Lanka; 

Whereas Sri Lanka has worked towards a lasting peace, ethnic and religious harmony, and prosperity for all; 

Whereas the rights of all religious minorities must be protected, including the rights of Christians, who, among 

other religious communities, have faced increased violence 

in recent years from terrorist groups around the world; 


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SRES 184 ATS 

Whereas the United States values its partnership with Sri 

Lanka and seeks to build on that partnership by pursuing shared goals in the Indo-Pacific region; 

Whereas the United States is home to a large Sri Lankan diaspora, who make significant contributions to American 

society; and 

Whereas American law enforcement officials and military personnel are supporting the Sri Lankan Government’s investigation of this attack: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns, in the strongest terms, the ter3 rorist attacks perpetrated by violent Islamist extrem4 ists against innocent civilians on Easter Sunday; 

5 (2) condemns the use of violence against people 

6 of religious faith, including in their places of wor7 ship; 

8 (3) offers its sincere and heartfelt condolences 

9 to the victims, their families and friends, and to the 

10 nation of Sri Lanka; 

11 (4) reaffirms its solidarity with the people of 

12 Sri Lanka and its support for the United States 

13 partnership with the nation of Sri Lanka; 

14 (5) notes, on this 10th anniversary of the end 

15 of Sri Lanka’s civil war, the importance of national 

16 unity and encourages the Government of Sri Lanka 

17 to foster such unity, including religious and ethnic 

18 tolerance; 


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SRES 184 ATS 

1 (6) supports efforts to ensure the protection of 

2 all Sri Lankans against retaliatory attacks as the 

3 country recovers from this tragedy; 

4 (7) reaffirms its commitment to religious free5 dom and the importance of protecting the rights of 

6 all religious minorities, including Christians; 

7 (8) calls attention to the continued and serious 

8 threat posed by the Islamic State and other inter9 national terrorist organizations; and 

10 (9) calls upon the United States Government 

11 and all other governments to continue the fight 

12 against violent extremism. 

13 SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON CONSTRUCTION OF PROVI14 SIONS OF RESOLUTION AS AN AUTHORIZA15 TION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE. 

16 Nothing in this resolution may be construed as an 

17 authorization for use of military force. 

Æ 


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