12694 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 9 June 27, 2006 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments Nadler and former Congressman Joe Dio- Whereas the people of Bristol continue to made by this section shall apply to taxable Guardi spoke at a ceremony at the United work to preserve structures of historical sig- years beginning after December 31, 2005. States Holocaust Memorial Museum in nificance, including the Paramount theatre, Washington, DC, commemorating the addi- the Old Customs House, and the historic f tion of Albania to the museum’s ‘‘Righteous train station; SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS Among the Nations’’ installation; Whereas the phonographic recordings Whereas based on the information authen- known as the Bristol Sessions launched the ticated by Yad Vashem, Jewish-American country music careers of the Carter Family, author and philanthropist Harvey Sarner SENATE RESOLUTION 521—COM- the Stonemans, and Jimmie Rogers, and published ‘‘Rescue in Albania’’ in 1997, to prompted historians to describe Bristol as MENDING THE PEOPLE OF ALBA- call international attention to the unique the ‘‘Big Bang’’ of modern country music; NIA ON THE 61ST ANNIVERSARY role of the Albanian people in saving Jews Whereas country music is a central part of OF THE LIBERATION OF THE from the Nazi Holocaust; the history of Bristol, which Congress recog- JEWS FROM THE NAZI DEATH Whereas in October 1997, the Albanian nized as the ‘‘Birthplace of Country Music’’; CAMPS, FOR PROTECTING AND American Civic League and Foundation Whereas the history and economic develop- SAVING THE LIVES OF ALL began the distribution of 10,000 copies of ment of Bristol is intimately tied to com- ‘‘Rescue in Albania’’ with forewords by Con- mercial transportation and Bristol continues JEWS WHO LIVED IN ALBANIA, gressmen Lantos and Gilman to bring to the OR SOUGHT ASYLUM THERE to serve as an important commercial hub for attention of the Jewish people and their the surrounding region; and DURING THE HOLOCAUST leaders in particular the plight of Albanians Whereas automotive racing is integral to Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. living under Slobodan Milosevic in order to the identity of Bristol and the ‘‘World’s forestall another genocide; MCCAIN) submitted the following reso- Fastest Half-Mile’’ at the Bristol Motor Whereas on May 15, 2005, Jews and Alba- lution; which was referred to the Com- Speedway continues to offer exciting events nians gathered in New York City in a ‘‘Sa- to scores of racing fans: Now, therefore, be it mittee on Foreign Relations: lute to Albanian Tolerance, Resistance, and Resolved, That the Senate— S. RES. 521 Hope: Remembering Besa and the Holocaust’’ (1) acknowledges the cultural and historic Whereas at the start of World War II, ap- on the occasion for the 60th anniversary of achievements of the people of Bristol, Ten- proximately 200 Jews lived in the Republic of the liberation of the Nazi death camps; and nessee and Bristol, Virginia; and Albania, and approximately 1800 Jews es- Whereas in a statement presented at the (2) congratulates the twin cities of Bristol caped to Albania from Western Europe and ceremony Dr. Mordechai Paldiel, Director of on their sesquicentennial. the former Yugoslavia; the Department for the Righteous at Yad Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I Vashem, commemorated the heroism of Al- Whereas in 1934, United States Ambassador am pleased to join Senators FRIST, to Albania Herman Bernstein wrote that, banians as ‘‘the only ones among rescuers in other countries who not only went out of WARNER, and ALLEN in offering a Sen- ‘‘There is no trace of any discrimination ate resolution that celebrates the 150th against Jews in Albania, because Albania their way to save Jews, but vied and com- happens to be one of the rare lands in Europe peted with each other for the privilege of anniversary of the twin cities of Bris- today where religious prejudice and hate do being a rescuer, thanks to besa’’, the code of tol, TN, and Bristol, VA. not exist, even though Albanians themselves honor that requires Albanians to save the Hanging on the wall of my Wash- are divided into three faiths.’’; life of anyone seeking refuge, even if it ington office near my desk is a paint- Whereas based on their unique history of means sacrificing his own life: Now, there- ing of Bristol by George Smith called religious tolerance, Albanians sheltered and fore, be it ‘‘State Street at Seventh Avenue.’’ Resolved, That the Senate— protected Jews, even at the risk of Albanian (1) commends the people of Albania for This painting, which was completed lives, beginning with the invasion and occu- protecting and saving the lives of all Jews, around 1890, depicts the shared road pation of Albania by Mussolini’s Italian fas- both native and refugee, living in Albania that links the twin cities of Bristol and cists in 1939; during the Holocaust; which serves as the State line between Whereas after Germany occupied Albania (2) commends Yad Vashem in Israel and en- Tennessee and Virginia. State Street in 1943 and the Gestapo ordered Jewish refu- courages others to recognize Albanians who gees in the Albanian capital of Tirana to reg- Church can be seen on the left side of took action to protect Jews during the Holo- ister, Albanian leaders refused to provide a the painting, the First Presbyterian caust for their great courage and heroism; list of Jews living in Albania, and Albanian Church is in the distance on the right, and clerks issued false identity papers to protect and the city saloon appears at the bot- (3) takes this occasion to reaffirm its sup- all Jews who traveled to and hid in Tirana; tom. Thanks to continuing efforts in port for close ties between the United States Whereas Albanians considered it a matter and Albania. Bristol to preserve structures of histor- of national pride and tradition to help Jews ical significance, some of these build- f during the Holocaust, and due to the actions ings and many like them can still be of many individual Albanians, virtually the SENATE RESOLUTION 522—CELE- seen there today. entire native and refugee Jewish community BRATING THE 150TH ANNIVER- in Albania during World War II survived the The twin cities were incorporated in Holocaust; SARY OF THE CITIES OF BRIS- 1856, the same year the Virginia and Whereas Albania had more Jewish resi- TOL. TENNESSEE AND BRISTOL, Tennessee Railroads reached Bristol. A dents after World War II than before World VIRGINIA second railroad arrived four years War II; Mr. FRIST (for himself, Mr. ALEX- later. From that point on, the popu- Whereas in June 1990, Jewish-American ANDER, Mr. WARNER, and Mr. ALLEN) lation grew steadily as Bristol emerged Congressman Tom Lantos and former Alba- submitted the following resolution; as an important transportation and nian-American Congressman Joe DioGuardi commercial hub. were the first United States officials to enter which was considered and agreed to: S. RES. 522 Today, Bristol is known for a dif- Albania in 50 years and received from the ferent type of transportation. Since Communist Party leader and Albanian Presi- Whereas the twin cities of Bristol, Ten- dent Ramiz Alia a thick file from the Com- nessee and Bristol, Virginia were officially 1961, the Bristol Motor Speedway has munist archives containing the records of chartered in 1856, celebrated the Bristol Cen- been host to NASCAR races and its the unpublicized heroic deeds of hundreds of tennial in 1956, and have organized to cele- fans. The Speedway, which began as Albanians who rescued Jews during World brate the Bristol Sesquicentennial in 2006; drawings scratched on the back of en- War II; Whereas the Bristol Sesquicentennial velopes and brown paper bags, can now Whereas Joe DioGuardi, upon returning to theme, ‘‘Celebrating 150 Years of heritage seat over 160,000 fans at its races. The the United States, sent the file for authen- and harmony’’ underscores the duality of ‘‘World’s Fastest Half-Mile’’ is ac- tication to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Mar- Bristol as a cohesion of 2 separate cities with claimed worldwide, and I have enjoyed tyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Museum in 1 communal spirit; visiting the Speedway myself. Jerusalem, Israel; Whereas the ‘‘Bristol Sign’’, listed in the But Bristol is more than just a trans- Whereas Yad Vashem has thus far des- National Register of Historic Places, serves ignated 63 Albanians as ‘‘Righteous Persons’’ to exemplify the communal spirit of Bristol, portation hub. It is the birthplace of and Albania as one of the ‘‘Righteous Among bridge the States of Tennessee and Virginia country music—as declared by Con- the Nations’’; over the cooperatively named ‘‘State gress in 1998. Whereas in February 1995, Congressmen Street’’, and declare Bristol ‘‘A Good Place The roots of country music in Bristol Tom Lantos, Benjamin Gilman, and Jerrold to Live’’; can be traced to the influences of VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:21 Mar 27, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BR27JN06.DAT BR27JN06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE.