III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 124 

Celebrating the heritage of Romani Americans. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 18, 2021 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. WICKER) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JUNE 14, 2022 

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

preamble 

DECEMBER 8, 2022 

Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the heritage of Romani Americans. 

Whereas the ancestry of the Romani people, also called the 

Roma, can be traced to the Indian subcontinent; 

Whereas Romani people have been a part of European immigration to the United States since the colonial period and 

particularly following the abolition of the enslavement of 

Romani people in the historic Romanian principalities; 

Whereas Romani people live across the world and throughout 

the United States; 

Whereas the Romani people have made distinct and important contributions in many fields, including agriculture, 


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SRES 124 ATS 

art, crafts, literature, medicine, military service, music, 

sports, and science; 

Whereas, on April 8, 1971, the First World Romani Congress 

met in London, bringing Romani people together from 

across Europe and the United States with the goal of 

promoting transnational cooperation among Romani people in combating social marginalization and building a 

positive future for Romani people everywhere; 

Whereas April 8 is therefore celebrated globally as International Roma Day; 

Whereas Romani people were victims of genocide carried out 

by Nazi Germany and its Axis partners, and an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 Romani people were killed by 

Nazis and their allies across Europe during World War 

II; 

Whereas, on the night of August 2–3, 1944, the so-called 

‘‘Gypsy Family Camp’’ where Romani people were interned at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liquidated, and in a 

single night, between 4,200 and 4,300 Romani men, 

women, and children were killed in gas chambers; 

Whereas many countries are taking positive steps to remember and teach about the genocide of Romani people by 

Nazi Germany and its Axis partners; and 

Whereas the United States Congress held its first hearing to 

examine the situation of Romani people in 1994: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) remembers the genocide of Romani people 

3 by Nazi Germany and its Axis partners and com4 memorates the destruction of the ‘‘Gypsy Family 


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SRES 124 ATS 

1 Camp’’ where Romani people were interned at 

2 Auschwitz; 

3 (2) commends the United States Holocaust Me4 morial Museum for its role in promoting remem5 brance of the Holocaust and educating about the 

6 genocide of Romani people; 

7 (3) supports International Roma Day as an op8 portunity to honor the culture, history, and heritage 

9 of the Romani people in the United States as part 

10 of the larger Romani global diaspora; and 

11 (4) welcomes the Department of State’s partici12 pation in ceremonies and events celebrating Inter13 national Roma Day and similar engagement by the 

14 United States Government. 

Æ 


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