A resolution condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering sincere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and to the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and support for Sri Lanka.

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 184 Condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering sin- cere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and to the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and support for Sri Lanka. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 2, 2019 Mr. RISCH (for himself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. GARDNER, Mrs. SHA- HEEN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. PETERS, Mr. KAINE, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CRUZ, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. BROWN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations JUNE 3, 2019 Reported by Mr. RISCH, with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble JUNE 10, 2019 Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble RESOLUTION Condemning the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, offering sincere condolences to the victims, to their families and friends, and to the people and nation of Sri Lanka, and expressing solidarity and support for Sri Lanka. Whereas, on April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka suffered a horrific se- ries of coordinated terrorist attacks that killed more than 250 people and injured more than 500 additional people; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Jun 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR184.ATS SR184 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 SRES 184 ATS Whereas the attacks targeted Christian churches, in which in- nocent men, women, and children were celebrating Easter Sunday; Whereas the attacks targeted several locations frequented by foreign tourists, resulting in the deaths of over 40 people from nations other than Sri Lanka, including five Amer- ican citizens, including Dieter Kowalski, Amelie Linsey, Daniel Linsey, and Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa; Whereas Sri Lanka has determined that a local Islamist mili- tant group perpetrated this horrifying attack and is re- sponsible for the resulting loss of life, injury, and de- struction; Whereas the use of nine suicide bombers in multiple locations demonstrates a high degree of coordination and planning; Whereas growing evidence links the Islamic State to these at- tacks, demonstrating this terrorist organization’s contin- ued reach and capability to inflict terror, violence, and brutality around the world, despite its loss of physical territory; Whereas religious freedom is a foundational and universal right of all people, and religious freedom and tolerance are important to the flourishing of multi-religious soci- eties like Sri Lanka; Whereas Sri Lanka has worked towards a lasting peace, eth- nic and religious harmony, and prosperity for all; Whereas the rights of all religious minorities must be pro- tected, including the rights of Christians, who, among other religious communities, have faced increased violence in recent years from terrorist groups around the world; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Jun 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR184.ATS SR184 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 SRES 184 ATS Whereas the United States values its partnership with Sri Lanka and seeks to build on that partnership by pur- suing shared goals in the Indo-Pacific region; Whereas the United States is home to a large Sri Lankan di- aspora, who make significant contributions to American society; and Whereas American law enforcement officials and military per- sonnel are supporting the Sri Lankan Government’s in- vestigation of this attack: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) condemns, in the strongest terms, the ter- 2 rorist attacks perpetrated by violent Islamist extrem- 3 ists against innocent civilians on Easter Sunday; 4 (2) condemns the use of violence against people 5 of religious faith, including in their places of wor- 6 ship; 7 (3) offers its sincere and heartfelt condolences 8 to the victims, their families and friends, and to the 9 nation of Sri Lanka; 10 (4) reaffirms its solidarity with the people of 11 Sri Lanka and its support for the United States 12 partnership with the nation of Sri Lanka; 13 (5) notes, on this 10th anniversary of the end 14 of Sri Lanka’s civil war, the importance of national 15 unity and encourages the Government of Sri Lanka 16 to foster such unity, including religious and ethnic 17 tolerance; 18 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Jun 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR184.ATS SR184 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 SRES 184 ATS (6) supports efforts to ensure the protection of 1 all Sri Lankans against retaliatory attacks as the 2 country recovers from this tragedy; 3 (7) reaffirms its commitment to religious free- 4 dom and the importance of protecting the rights of 5 all religious minorities, including Christians; 6 (8) calls attention to the continued and serious 7 threat posed by the Islamic State and other inter- 8 national terrorist organizations; and 9 (9) calls upon the United States Government 10 and all other governments to continue the fight 11 against violent extremism. 12 SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON CONSTRUCTION OF PROVI- 13 SIONS OF RESOLUTION AS AN AUTHORIZA- 14 TION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE. 15 Nothing in this resolution may be construed as an 16 authorization for use of military force. 17 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Jun 10, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR184.ATS SR184 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS