CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E148 HON
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E148 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks February 3, 2010 world over. The memory of the atrocities over Nazi oppression. In Israel and through- had different political views from the Nazi Re- committed at Auschwitz and throughout Eu- out the world, Jews and other groups singled gime during the Holocaust. rope must steel our resolve to fight every out by the Nazis for extermination survive America stands with the Jewish people, and form of intolerance and inhumanity. and thrive. The Holocaust proves many sad truths. Bella’s spirit also lives on in those who lib- has dedicated the Holocaust Memorial Mu- One is that modernity is not an inoculation erated Auschwitz-Birkenau three years after seum, to recognize the people who lost their against genocide. her death; and in those here participating 65 lives, as well as those who survived the Holo- The pillars of modernity—science and years later in this multi-national, multi- caust. Their strong resilience against the technology—are powerful forces. Perverted generational recognition that the horrors Nazi’s inexorable plan of genocide and their for evil by the Nazis, but also sources of un- she and so many others witnessed and suf- dedication to their ideals in spite of great ad- limited hope, opportunity and trans- fered must never be permitted to recur. versity was remarkable. formative change. We are humbled by the survivors. We honor The Department of State Office of the Spe- My father, who eventually came to the the liberators. We mourn the victims. United States to study engineering, taught In their name, we say: Yitgadal cial Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semi- me about the power of technology to trans- Vyitkadash Shme Raba. tism, along with several United States embas- form lives for the better. In their name, we pledge to remember. sies and consulates has done an exceptional Let us fight so that technology is deployed In their name, we pledge: Never Again. job at tracking anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism to spread knowledge, to educate, to ensure f and intolerance. America and our partnering that people in all corners of the world know departments stand together with the Jewish of death-camp victims, survivors, and lib- OUR UNCONSCIONABLE NATIONAL people in solidarity to ensure the safety of all erators. DEBT Let us fight so that technology is used to people and prevent our future from mirroring shine a light on oppression and intolerance, the atrocities of our past. to illuminate persecution and dehumaniza- HON. MIKE COFFMAN I urge my colleagues to continue their tion, to take oppression and mass murder OF COLORADO strong support of H. Res. 1044, commemo- out of the shadows. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES rating the 65th anniversary of the liberation of We know that the Nazis sought to shut off the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. from the rest of the world the unspeakable Wednesday, February 3, 2010 killing that went on here. We know that for Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Madam Speak- f the Nazis control of the flow of information er, today our national debt is was an imperative, an SS boot on the free COMMEMORATING 65TH ANNIVER- $12,360,943,989,345.48. flow of news. SARY OF THE LIBERATION OF On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Let us fight for freedom. For fundamental AUSCHWITZ freedoms disregarded too often and trag- Congress, the national debt was ically in the 20th century, fundamental free- $10,638,425,746,293.80. SPEECH OF doms that, as Secretary of State Hillary This means the national debt has increased Clinton has urged, we must enshrine as core by $1,722,518,243,051.68 so far this Con- HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY principles in the 2lst century—freedom of ex- gress. OF NEW YORK pression, freedom of worship, freedom from Last week, the Congressional Budget Office want, freedom from fear, and freedom to con- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES released their Budget and Economic Outlook: nect. Tuesday, February 2, 2010 The freedom of information is essential, Fiscal Years 2010–2020. They estimate a def- while also no substitute for the power of ac- icit of $1.3 trillion for fiscal year 2010. This Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- tual places to teach and instruct. It is a debt and its interest payments we are passing port of H. Res. 1044, Commemorating 65th moral imperative to preserve Auschwitz and to our children and all future Americans. Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. other physical sites of remembrance, because f January 27, 2010 marked the 65th anniver- they shock us into an understanding that sary of the liberation of the Auschwitz- ideas alone cannot. COMMEMORATING 65TH ANNIVER- Birkenau concentration camp, where at least As the survivors continue to leave us, SARY OF THE LIBERATION OF 1.1 million were murdered from 1940–1945. places like this take on an even greater im- AUSCHWITZ portance. Because places like Auschwitz Last week, the United Nations, which is lo- aren’t really mute. In their unspeaking way, cated in my district, commemorated the libera- SPEECH OF they tell us of the unspeakable. tion with events designed to carry on the sto- The former prisoners who first proposed a HON. AL GREEN ries and lessons that Holocaust survivors have memorial and museum at Auschwitz- OF TEXAS made their legacy. Birkenau knew this. This place, and others IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Here in Congress, the resolution we pass like it, stands as a refutation of those who today honors the victims of Auschwitz and insist the Holocaust never happened—a de- Tuesday, February 2, 2010 nial of the truth that is baseless, ignorant, other Nazi concentration camps. It also reaf- and driven by hatred. Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I firms Congress’s commitment to enhance Hol- The great American writer Mark Twain strongly support H. Res. 1044, a resolution ocaust education to ensure that what hap- said: ‘‘A lie travels halfway around the world commemorating the 65th anniversary of the pened in Auschwitz is never allowed to hap- before the truth puts its shoes on.’’ Today’s liberation of Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration pen again. haters are using old and new tools to foster and extermination camp. Honoring the victims To that end, I have introduced separate leg- Holocaust denial and mass murder. Let us of the Holocaust, and expressing commitment islation, the Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Edu- come together to counter those efforts. Let to strengthen the fight against bigotry and in- cation Assistance Act (H.R. 2089), which us work together to make sure the facts of the Holocaust and its lessons remain fresh tolerance are integral parts of this resolution. would provide federal grants to educational or- for each new generation. I would like to thank Representative ILEANA ganizations to teach students about the Holo- My daughter, Lilah, is five years old—the ROS-LEHTINEN for introducing this piece of leg- caust: The legislation is named after the re- same age as my father when he and his par- islation. nowned survivor of the Nazi death camps who ents made their escape from Nazi-occupied Before Allied forces arrived in Poland to lib- dedicated his life to documenting the crimes of Belgium. erate Auschwitz, on January 27, 1945, ap- the Holocaust. My son, Aaron, is three years old—the proximately 6 million Jews and other targeted Unfortunately, many students across the same age as his mom’s father in Nazi-occu- pied Holland when his parents handed him groups were murdered by Nazi soldiers across country have not learned about the Holocaust over to be hidden by righteous non-Jewish Europe. because their schools do not have the nec- heroes who risked their lives to save people Auschwitz was the largest concentration essary funds or tools to teach them about this they didn’t know. camp in Poland. Between 1940 and 1945, 1.3 horrific event in humanity’s history. It is imper- We preserve Auschwitz-Birkenau so that million Jews were deported by Nazi authorities ative that students learn about the con- children all over the world like Lilah, Aaron, to this extermination camp. Over 85 percent of sequences of intolerance and hatred, so that and their older brother Jake can visit and the people sent there were tortured, starved we can truly say, ‘‘Never again.’’ absorb the full dimensions of the unthink- and then systematically murdered in gas As the numbers of Holocaust survivors able tragedy that occurred here. Bella Rabinovitch is gone, but her spirit chambers. dwindle, we must make sure their stories live lives on in eight grandchildren, 21 great- This camp symbolizes a place of terror, for on forever and that those who would deny the grandchildren, and 45 great-great-grand- Jews, prisoners of war, people who were Holocaust never have the ability to rewrite his- children, each a living legacy to the victory caught hiding the Jews and even those who tory. VerDate Nov 24 2008 05:11 Feb 04, 2010 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A03FE8.029 E03FEPT1 jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with REMARKS.