III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST 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 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the heritage of Romani Americans. 

Whereas the Romani people trace their ancestry to the Indian 

subcontinent; 

Whereas Roma have been a part of European immigration to 

the United States since the colonial period and particularly following the abolition of the enslavement of Roma 

in the historic Romanian principalities; 

Whereas Roma live across the world and throughout the 

United States; 

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

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

sports, and science; 

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

met in London, bringing Roma together from across EuVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:05 Mar 19, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR124.IS SR124

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•SRES 124 IS 

rope and the United States with the goal of promoting 

transnational cooperation among Roma in combating social marginalization and building a positive future for 

Roma everywhere; 

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

Whereas Roma 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 Roma by Nazi Germany and its Axis partners; and 

Whereas the United States Congress held its first hearing to 

examine the situation of Roma in 1994: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) remembers the genocide of Roma by Nazi 

3 Germany and its Axis partners and commemorates 

4 the destruction of the ‘‘Gypsy Family Camp’’ where 

5 Romani people were interned at Auschwitz; 

6 (2) commends the United States Holocaust Me7 morial Museum for its role in promoting rememVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:05 Mar 19, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR124.IS SR124

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•SRES 124 IS 

1 brance of the Holocaust and educating about the 

2 genocide of Roma; 

3 (3) supports International Roma Day as an op4 portunity to honor the culture, history, and heritage 

5 of the Romani people in the United States as part 

6 of the larger Romani global diaspora; and 

7 (4) welcomes the Department of State’s partici8 pation in ceremonies and events celebrating Inter9 national Roma Day and similar engagement by the 

10 United States Government. 

Æ 


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