SENATE RESOLUTION

8604

BySenators Dhingra, Hasegawa, Pedersen, and Wagoner

WHEREAS, January 26, 2025, marked the 76th Republic Day in India, commemorating the effective adoption of the Constitution of the world's largest democracy; and

WHEREAS, India solidified their achievement of independence from British rule through peaceful and nonviolent resistance; and

WHEREAS, India's Constitution requires equality under the law, asserts equality before law, and declares that "the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India"; and

WHEREAS, India has a strong tradition of maintaining democratic ideals through robust checks on those in power; and

WHEREAS, Washington state has many cultural and economic ties to India, including more than 100,000 Indian Americans living in the state; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans are small business owners, entrepreneurs, and CEOs of Washington companies, including the founding officers of many Seattle-based tech companies; and

WHEREAS, These businesses provide valuable services, resources, and jobs to the people of this state; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans have been emigrating to the West Coast since the 19th century, working in our most vital industries including agriculture, logging, and trade; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans reflect the values of inclusion and pluralism through their many cultural and religious identities, including Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu; and

WHEREAS, Indian Americans serve selflessly in our armed forces and in law enforcement, and contribute profoundly to the health care industry and Washington's institutions of higher education;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate honor the 2025 Republic Day of India as a symbol of the shared values of democracy, diversity, and inclusion, between the nation of India and both the State of Washington and the United States of America.

I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8604,

adopted by the Senate

January 27, 2025

SARAH BANNISTER

Secretary of the Senate