On the recordJune 7, 2016
I want to thank Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Deutch for their work on this resolution, and their continued work on Holocaust issues. The horrors wrought by the Nazi regime did not end when prisoners finally walked out from behind the barbed wire fences in 1945. Today, the after-effects of Hitler's death camps still haunt the lives of those who survived. Tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors throughout the world live in poverty, forced to choose between feeding themselves and purchasing necessary medication. The problem is staggering. Five hundred thousand survivors remain-- most of them in their 80s. Today, more than one in four lack sufficient access to the care they need to live their final years in comfort and in dignity. For decades, Germany has instituted and funded a number of aid programs in recognition of its obligation to these survivors. However, Germany's own evaluations made clear that more needs to be done. We urge the German government to immediately and fully fund programming for victims' medical, mental health, and long-term care needs. Time is of the essence. Every day that decisions are stalled, we lose another survivor, another story, another chance to show our respect for these individuals who have already endured what no one should. Today's resolution recognizes the moral imperative for us--all of us--to work to ensure a life of dignity, security, and comfort for Holocaust survivors.
