Asa Hutchinson: “I rise today, to join with my friend and colleague Senator Joseph Lieberman, in submitting a bill that will give…”

“I rise today, to join with my friend and colleague Senator Joseph Lieberman, in submitting a bill that will give appropriate and well-deserved recognition to a group of World War II veterans who were held as German political prisoners at the Nazi concentration camp, Buchenwald. Fittingly, today is Shavout in the Jewish religion. This holiday commemorates the Jews receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai and celebrates their fleeing from Egypt. First and foremost, I want to thank the original cosponsors of this bill: Senators Helms, Faircloth, Torricelli, Reid of Nevada, Smith of New Hampshire, Santorum, Hagel, Craig, Mack, Kohl, Murkowski, and Ashcroft. Mr. President, Congressmen Dave Weldon and Peter Deutsch will be introducing similar legislation later today in the House of Representatives. These brave airmen were different from other Allied prisoners, because they were held at Buchenwald, a Nazi concentration camp--and therefore not subject to the protections of the Geneva Convention. Tragically, Mr. President, the United States has never formally recognized the service, sacrifice, and bravery of these American airmen while they were held as political prisoners at the Buchenwald concentration camp.”