The US House of Representatives has passed a historic resolution, authored by Congressman Trent Franks and co-sponsored by 33 other lawmakers, urging the United States to work with India to address the problem of inhumane treatment being meted out to more than 250 million Dalits and tribals in India.

The House Concurrent Resolution 139 that was adopted by a voice vote contains historic language on untouchability in India, including a lengthy findings section detailing the effects of untouchability and case abuse on outcastes in India.

It calls on Washington to persuade New Delhi to address the issue of untouchability by raising the issue of caste discrimination through diplomatic channels and encouraging US businesses, the US Agency for International Development, the State Department and other US programs and organizations working in India to take every possible measure to ensure that Dalits are included and are not discriminated against in the programming and employment.

Franks, a three-term lawmaker who serves on the House Armed Services and Judiciary Committees, said, "It is almost unbelievable that in an age of astounding technological and economic advancement, the world remains asleep to the fact that there are today millions upon millions of people who not only endure staggering conditions of poverty, but are completely ostracized from their own society, treated as almost less than human."

He said his resolution "lays the groundwork for increasing awareness on the issue, which will in turn ensure that the desperate needs of these impoverished people are not ignored or forgotten as our nations continue working together economically and politically."

Franks declared that the adoption of the resolution "marks a victory for the cause of human freedom, and sheds a new light of hope on the 250 million souls who continue to suffer the abuses of caste discrimination in India."

"I truly believe that a caste system that places human beings into a category of 'untouchables' is a social aberration that is destined to fade once and for all into the pages of history, and this resolution takes us one step closer to that day," he said.

Nanci Ricks, executive director of the Dalit Freedom Network that worked with Franks and several other lawmakers who are known human rights activists to secure the passage of the resolution, said, "We have seen history made in this resolution."

She said, "This resolution should encourage all Dalits suffering under caste discrimination in India that the United States Congress has heard of the atrocities of caste and has responded."

"We hope that the United States government and US businesses working in India will heed this statement by the House and will join the alit Freedom Network in fighting the effects of caste across India," Ricks said.

The resolution now goes to the US Senate for a concurring vote.