IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 616 
Expressing the sense of Congress honoring the life and mourning the loss 
of Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 4, 2019 
Mrs. FLETCHER (for herself, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. BRADY, Mr. GREEN of 
Texas, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. 
OLSON, Mr. CLOUD, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. BABIN, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 
COX
of California, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. STEVENS, and Mr. 
GARAMENDI) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress honoring the life and 
mourning the loss of Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal 
of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. 
Whereas, on Friday, September 27, 2019, in Houston, Texas, 
Lieutenant Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal of the Harris County 
Sheriff’s Office was killed by gunfire while serving in the 
line of duty; 
Whereas the senseless slaying of Lieutenant Dhaliwal rep-
resents a reminder that the risks assumed by police offi-
cers daily in serving and protecting their communities 
continue to be ever present; 
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•HRES 616 IH 
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal was the first observant Sikh to 
serve in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and was one 
of the first observant Sikhs in Texas to receive a policy 
accommodation to practice his religion while serving as a 
police officer; 
Whereas Sikhs have struggled to win religious accommoda-
tions in the United States in private employment, the 
armed services, and in most law enforcement agencies na-
tionwide, and often continue to remain segregated from 
public view in their employment; 
Whereas out of more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies 
in the United States, about 25 law enforcement agencies 
have permitted accommodation for Sikhs to wear their 
religious articles of faith, including the Harris County 
Sheriff’s Office, the New York City Police, the Chicago 
Police, the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police, U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection, and the United States 
Secret Service, among others; 
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal served admirably while main-
taining his Sikh articles of faith, including his turban 
(dastaar), steel bracelet (kara), and unshorn hair (kesh) 
without impediment, which have deep spiritual and moral 
significance; 
Whereas, as Lieutenant Dhaliwal improved law enforcement’s 
cultural understanding of Sikhs by helping to dispel 
stereotypes about what Americans look like, he served 
with distinction as an example of the tireless contribu-
tions that religious minorities and marginalized commu-
nities make to our country; 
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal was widely regarded as a role 
model for Americans of all faiths wishing to serve their 
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•HRES 616 IH 
communities in law enforcement and the armed services, 
and his loss is felt deeply; 
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal owned a successful trucking 
business before he sold it to join the Sheriff’s Office out 
of a sense of duty and desire to build a bridge between 
the department and the Houston area Sikh community; 
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal was known to have a giving 
heart, coordinating relief efforts for the community after 
Hurricane Harvey, and traveling to Puerto Rico to pro-
vide aid to a colleague’s relatives after Hurricane Maria; 
Whereas Lieutenant Dhaliwal is survived by his wife and 
three children; and 
Whereas in the face of this tragic loss, the people of Houston 
have come together and dedicated themselves to honoring 
the bravery, dedication to his community, and trailblazing 
work for Sikh Americans that Lieutenant Dhaliwal exem-
plified: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives extends 
its condolences to the family and loved ones of Lieutenant 
Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, and the entire Harris County 
Sheriff’s Office, and stands in solidarity with the people 
of Houston, Harris County, and the Sikh community 
across America, as they celebrate the life, and mourn the 
loss, of this remarkable and selfless hero who represented 
the very best of our Nation’s ideals. 
Æ 
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