Congress on Tuesday passed a bipartisan resolution condemning white supremacists and other hate groups and sent it to President Trump’s desk, Politico and The Hill reported.
With the bill on its way to the White House, sponsors urged President Donald Trump to not hesitate in signing it.
“Tonight the House passed my resolution condemning hate groups and the Charlottesville attack. POTUS should send a clear message and sign it ASAP,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who co-sponsored the legislation in the Senate, tweeted Tuesday evening.
Tonight the House passed my resolution condemning hate groups & the Charlottesville attack. POTUS should send a clear message & sign it ASAP
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) September 12, 2017
The resolution is designed to formally condemn the “shameful and hate-filled acts” of white supremacists and other hate groups in Charlottesville, Virginia last month who gathered to protest the removal of a Confederate statue, according to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who sponsored the bill in the House.
The rally ended in violence when a man affiliated with the white supremacists allegedly drove his car through a crowd of counter-protesters and killed one woman.
“I hope this bipartisan action will help heal the wounds left in the aftermath of this tragedy and send a clear message to those that seek to divide our country that there is no place for hate and violence,” Connolly said in a statement he tweeted.
Tonight the House sent our Cville resolution w/ @MarkWarner @timkaine condemning hate groups to the President's desk. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/kEF8JFmyYf
— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) September 12, 2017
While the resolution is on its way to the President’s desk, the White House has not taken an official stance on whether it will sign the measure, according to Politico reporter Kyle Cheney, who tweeted that a White House spokesperson said there were “no announcements” on the resolution yet.
Asked whether president will sign, WH spox says "No announcements at this time." https://t.co/Scf2yh14AW
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) September 12, 2017
The bipartisan resolution will likely force Trump to officially and formally condemn white supremacists, a stance he was hesitant to take after the violence in Charlottesville.
He blamed “both sides” for the violence and claimed there were “good people” on both sides of the protest.
I hope Trump;'s desk isn’t as messy as mine. I lose papers on my desk regularly.
Was this just a measure to box in Trump? I don’t think anybody’s going to ‘heal’ by another ‘measure’ . I think people want action these days…
Trump: I will love to sign it.
Neo Nazis: We understand.
Ayn Rand: So do we.
Just like all those contracts that Trump signed. The signing was as easy as the reneging was effortless.
Why do they keep saying that the white supremacist “allegedly” drove into the crowd of people. There’s pretty clear video of the attack. I know our justice system provides for innocent until proven guilty, but really it’s pretty obvious what he did. Are they afraid of being sued?