III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 255 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 26 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Received 

OCTOBER 2 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the United 

States commitment to preservation of religious and cultural sites and condemning instances where sites are 

desecrated. 

Whereas the Congress is committed to protecting and preserving the cultural heritage of all national, religious, and 

ethnic groups, including sacred sites of such groups, including cemeteries in the United States and abroad; 

Whereas the Holocaust annihilated much of Europe’s Jewish 

population and in many countries, none were left 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
2 

HCON 255 RFS 

to care for the communal properties that represent a historic culture in the area and constitute an integral part 

of the Jewish religion; 

Whereas the Holocaust and 45 years of atheistic, Communist 

governments created a critical need that led to the establishment of the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad; 

Whereas the United States Commission for the Preservation 

of America’s Heritage Abroad is tasked with identifying 

and reporting on cemeteries, monuments, and historic 

buildings in Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with the heritage of United States citizens and obtaining assurances from the governments of those regions 

that the properties will be protected and preserved; 

Whereas the United States Commission for the Preservation 

of America’s Heritage Abroad has in effect over 20 bilateral agreements between the United States and foreign 

governments assuring the protection and preservation of 

cultural property; 

Whereas many properties continue to be endangered and 

many governments and communities continue to face fundamental and compelling challenges in the preservation of 

these properties; 

Whereas Congress is outraged by the construction that occurred within the perceived boundaries of the historic 

Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, 

Lithuania; 

Whereas cemeteries are sacred sites and are established to remain undisturbed in perpetuity, and the sanctity of a 

cemetery is determined by the bodies buried therein; 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
3 

HCON 255 RFS 

Whereas construction of a commercial building on the site 

disgraces the cemetery, it does not change its status; 

Whereas experts within Lithuania and from around the world 

community believe that the cemetery located in the 

Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, is a Jewish cemetery and is therefore sacred ground; 

Whereas the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area 

of Vilnius, Lithuania, is known by scholars within Lithuania and from around the world as the first Jewish 

cemetery in Vilnius and dates back to the 15th century, 

and it is believed that before the government closed the 

cemetery in the early 1800s, more than 50,000 Jews 

were buried there; 

Whereas the fact that the Government of Lithuania has allowed construction to take place within the perceived 

boundaries of the Jewish cemetery located in the 

Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, and that desecration 

continues into the 21st century is an affront to the international Jewish community, the American people, and everyone who values religious freedom and ethnic diversity 

around the world; 

Whereas the failure of the Government of Lithuania to protect the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of 

Vilnius, Lithuania, violates the October 15, 2002, bilateral agreement between Lithuania and the United States 

on the protection and preservation of certain cultural 

properties, including cemeteries; 

Whereas specifically, Article 1 of the bilateral agreement 

states: ‘‘[E]ach party will take appropriate steps to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of all national, religious, or ethnic groups that reside or resided in its terVerDate Aug 31 2005 06:21 Oct 03, 2008 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC255.RFS HC255

smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
4 

HCON 255 RFS 

ritory, including victims of genocide during the Second 

World War. The term ‘cultural heritage’ for purposes of 

this agreement means ‘. . . cemeteries, and memorials to 

the dead. . .’ ’’; and 

Whereas Congress welcomed the decision by the Government 

of Lithuania to conduct a geophysical survey of the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, 

Lithuania, in the summer of 2008 to establish definitively 

the boundaries of the cemetery, as well as to designate 

the land as a cultural heritage site: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) expresses strong support for the work of the 

4 United States Commission for the Preservation of 

5 America’s Heritage Abroad and for the European 

6 countries that continue to work to preserve sacred 

7 historical sites, despite ongoing challenges; 

8 (2) expresses strong sentiments to the Govern9 ment of Lithuania that the people of the United 

10 States believe the Jewish cemetery located in the 

11 Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, must not be 

12 desecrated; 

13 (3) calls on the Government of Lithuania to 

14 give serious consideration to the recommendations 

15 being prepared by the international experts group on 

16 the basis of the geophysical survey of the Jewish 

17 cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
5 

HCON 255 RFS 

1 Lithuania, and to take steps that guarantee the per2 manent preservation of the cemetery site, including 

3 the possibility of placing the land under government 

4 ownership; and 

5 (4) declares that constructive bilateral relations 

6 between Lithuania and the United States are impor7 tant to the governments, citizens, and shared agen8 das of both countries. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 

2008. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS