The Senate easily passed a resolution on Monday condemning white supremacist organizations and urging President Trump to speak out against hate groups.
The resolution — introduced last week by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) — cleared the upper chamber by unanimous consent.
The Senate measure formally condemns "the violence and domestic terrorist attack" that occurred last month around a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.
In addition to urging Trump and the administration to publicly push back against hate groups, the resolution urges Trump and his Cabinet to "address the growing prevalence of those hate groups in the United States."
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Senators want Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate "all acts of violence, intimidation and domestic terrorism" by white supremacists, white nationalists or associated groups and prevent them "from fomenting and facilitating additional violence."
The resolution formally gained the backing of 57 senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenators introduce Trump-backed criminal justice bill On The Money: Senior GOP senator warns Trump against shutdown | Treasury sanctions 17 Saudis over Khashoggi killing | HQ2 deal brings new scrutiny on Amazon | Senate confirms Bowman to Fed board Senior GOP senator warns Trump against partial shutdown MORE (R-Ky.), before it passed the Senate on Monday night.
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenators introduce Trump-backed criminal justice bill On The Money: Senior GOP senator warns Trump against shutdown | Treasury sanctions 17 Saudis over Khashoggi killing | HQ2 deal brings new scrutiny on Amazon | Senate confirms Bowman to Fed board Senior GOP senator warns Trump against partial shutdown MORE (R-Ky.), before it passed the Senate on Monday night. Trump received widespread criticism for his response to violence in Virginia last month, including saying during a press conference that both what he called "alt-left" and white nationalist groups were to blame for the violence and there were "very fine people" on both sides.
The rally began as a protest against the Charlottesville City Council’s decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, but turned violent and led to the death of one counterprotestor.
