By Steve La Rocque
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- While the United States continues its war against terrorism, the Senate emphasized the need for humanitarian aid to Afghans and protecting the civil rights of all Americans.

Senator Paul Wellstone (Democrat of Minnesota) introduced a resolution October 18 to express the Sense of the Senate regarding "the urgent need to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and development assistance to civilians in Afghanistan, including Afghan refugees in surrounding countries."

Senate Resolution 172 (S. Res. 172) was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

On the same day Wellstone introduced S. Res. 172, the Senate approved by unanimous consent a resolution (S. Con. Res. 74) against bigotry toward Sikh-Americans following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States that left more than 5,000 men, women and children either dead or missing.

Senator Orrin Hatch (Republican of Utah), the ranking minority member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also introduced on October 18 a resolution similar to S. Con. Res. 74 that would condemn violence and bigotry against Iranian-Americans following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The Hatch resolution, Senate Resolution 173 (S. Res. 173), was passed by unanimous consent.