III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 110 

Honoring the life and legacy of the late James George Abourezk. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 15, 2023 

Mr. ROUNDS (for himself, Mr. THUNE, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. MCCONNELL, Ms. 

BALDWIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BENNET, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BRAUN, Mrs. BRITT, 

Mr. BROWN, Mr. BUDD, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. 

CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CASSIDY, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COONS, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. 

CRUZ, Mr. DAINES, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. ERNST, Mrs. 

FEINSTEIN, Mr. FETTERMAN, Mrs. FISCHER, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. 

GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. HAGERTY, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HAWLEY, Mr. 

HEINRICH, Mr. HICKENLOOPER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. HYDESMITH, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KAINE, Mr. KELLY, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. 

KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. LEE, Mr. LUJA ́N, Ms. 

LUMMIS, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. MENENDEZ, 

Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. MORAN, Mr. MULLIN, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. OSSOFF, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. PAUL, Mr. PETERS, 

Mr. REED, Mr. RICKETTS, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROMNEY, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. 

RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. SCHMITT, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, 

Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SINEMA, Ms. SMITH, 

Ms. STABENOW, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TESTER, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. 

TUBERVILLE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. VANCE, Mr. WARNER, Mr. 

WARNOCK, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WELCH, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, 

Mr. WYDEN, and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following resolution; which 

was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and legacy of the late James George 

Abourezk. 


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•SRES 110 ATS 

Whereas James G. Abourezk was born in Wood, South Dakota, to Lebanese immigrants in 1931; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk earned a degree in civil engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and 

Technology, graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Law, and practiced law in Rapid City, 

South Dakota; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk served in the United States 

Navy from 1948 to 1952; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk was elected to the United States 

House of Representatives in 1970 and represented the 

State of South Dakota from 1971 to 1973; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk was elected to the United States 

Senate in 1972, representing the State of South Dakota 

from 1973 to 1979, and was the first Arab American to 

serve in the United States Senate; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk re-established the Committee on 

Indian Affairs of the Senate, serving as the first Chair 

of the Committee after re-establishment; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk co-authored and worked to pass 

Public Law 95–341 (commonly known as the ‘‘American 

Indian Religious Freedom Act’’) (42 U.S.C. 1996 et 

seq.), the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 

1901 et seq.), and the Indian Self-Determination and 

Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); 

Whereas James G. Abourezk, after leaving the Senate, cofounded and was the first chair of the American-Arab 

Anti-Discrimination Committee; 

Whereas James G. Abourezk served as the first Attorney 

General of the Navajo Nation from 1982 to 1983; and 


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•SRES 110 ATS 

Whereas James G. Abourezk continued to advocate on behalf 

of Native American communities after his retirement: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Senate— 

3 (A) has heard with profound sorrow and 

4 deep regret the announcement of the death of 

5 James G. Abourezk, former member of the 

6 United States Senate and the House of Rep7 resentatives; 

8 (B) honors the life and legacy of James G. 

9 Abourezk for his unwavering dedication to 

10 South Dakota as a public servant and his ac11 complishments in legislating with principle and 

12 dedication for the good of the people of the 

13 United States; and 

14 (C) respectfully requests that the Secretary 

15 of the Senate communicate this resolution to 

16 the House of Representatives and transmit an 

17 enrolled copy thereof to the family of James G. 

18 Abourezk; and 

19 (2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stand 

20 adjourned as a further mark of respect to the mem21 ory of James G. Abourezk. 

Æ 


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