Title: Condemning the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
This resolution condemns the terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022. It also expresses support for the affected community, commends the actions of law enforcement and emergency responders, and reaffirms a commitment to combat hate, bigotry, anti-Semitism, and violence against Jewish Americans.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 881 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 881

Condemning the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in 
                Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 20, 2022

  Ms. Van Duyne (for herself, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Brady, Ms. Granger, Mr. 
 Sessions, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Weber of 
 Texas, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Babin, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Gooden of 
Texas, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Fallon, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mr. Jackson, 
   Mr. Nehls, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Arrington, Ms. Johnson of 
  Texas, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Vela, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Scalise, Ms. 
Stefanik, Mr. Cole, Mrs. Wagner, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Owens, Mr. Murphy of 
 North Carolina, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Burchett, Mr. 
Mast, Mrs. Hinson, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Emmer, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Moore of 
Alabama, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Jacobs of New York, 
   Mr. Hern, Mr. Norman, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Hice of 
Georgia, Mr. Steube, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Cline, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Graves of 
 Louisiana, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Mr. Kelly of 
 Mississippi, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, 
  Mr. C. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. McClintock, Ms. 
 Cheney, Mr. Kustoff, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Carl, Mr. Upton, Mr. Moolenaar, 
    Mr. Timmons, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Wenstrup, Mrs. 
Walorski, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Meijer, Mr. Katko, Mr. Fleischmann, Mrs. 
   Steel, Mr. Balderson, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mrs. Miller of West 
Virginia, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Allen, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Johnson of 
 Ohio, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mrs. Bice of Oklahoma, Mr. Gibbs, 
 Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. 
 Banks, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Fitzgerald, 
   Ms. Jacobs of California, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Latta, Mrs. McClain, Mr. 
  Hagedorn, Mr. Valadao, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mr. Mullin, Mr. 
Meuser, Mr. Stewart, Ms. Foxx, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Keller, Mr. Buck, Mr. 
Allred, Mr. Mooney, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Cloud, Mr. Zeldin, Mrs. Cammack, 
 Mr. Donalds, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. Roy, and Mr. Waltz) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight 
                               and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in 
                Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022.

Whereas, on January 15, 2022, Malik Faisal Akram entered Congregation Beth 
        Israel in Colleyville, Texas, taking four individuals hostage;
Whereas MI5, Britain's counterintelligence and security agency investigated Mr. 
        Akram in 2020, and he was listed as a subject of interest, but was later 
        determined to no longer pose a threat;
Whereas Mr. Akram arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on December 29, 
        2021, staying in New York City for two days until taking a flight to 
        Dallas, Texas;
Whereas it is reported Mr. Akram chose the synagogue because it appeared to be 
        the closest gathering of Jewish people to a Federal prison where he 
        demanded to see a woman who is in custody after being found guilty of 
        two counts of attempted murder, armed assault, using and carrying a 
        firearm, and three counts of assault on United States officers and 
        employees in Afghanistan;
Whereas according to the Anti-Defamation League, in 2020 and 2021, there were 
        8,366 incidents of extremism or antisemitism in the United States;
Whereas more than half of the religiously motivated hate crimes reported to the 
        Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2020 were anti-Jewish hate crimes;
Whereas Jewish Americans make up about two percent of the country's population 
        but they make up 55 percent of the country's anti-religious hate crimes;
Whereas, on Sunday, January 16, 2022, President Joe Biden classified this attack 
        as an act of terror and Vice President Kamala Harris affirmed we should 
        combat antisemitism and hate wherever it exists;
Whereas the four hostages were held for nearly 11 hours, during that time Rabbi 
        Charlie Cytron-Walker used the skills he learned by attending several 
        security courses hosted by local law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of 
        Investigation, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Secure Community 
        Network;
Whereas Good Shepherd Catholic Community church provided support and housed 
        family members of the worshipers held inside the Synagogue during the 11 
        hour standoff;
Whereas Pleasant Run Baptist Church offered their thoughts and support during 
        the standoff, and allowed for their parking lot to be used by the media;
Whereas worshipers who were watching service virtually contacted local law 
        enforcement once they realized there was an incident underway at 
        Congregation Beth Israel; and
Whereas because of the swift response from local, State, and Federal law 
        enforcement officers and emergency responders on the ground, no hostages 
        were harmed during the hostage situation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) stands with the community of Colleyville, Texas, the 
        hostages, and all those affected by the terrorist attack on 
        Congregation Beth Israel on January 15, 2022;
            (2) commends the Federal, State, and local law enforcement 
        officers and emergency responders who responded to Congregation 
        Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas;
            (3) condemns this heinous terrorist attack; and
            (4) reaffirms our commitment to combat hate, bigotry, 
        antisemitism, and violence against Jewish Americans.
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