Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, in 1944, President Roosevelt created the War Refugee Board in order to undertake efforts to rescue Jews from the Nazis and the atrocities of the Holocaust. That same year, a young Swedish diplomat accepted an appointment to travel to Hungary on a humanitarian mission, in large part sponsored by our War Refugee Board, to help protect Hungary's Jewish community. This young diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, risked his life to save tens of thousands of Jews, if not more, from almost certain death in Nazi concentration camps. For his remarkable courage and humanitarian spirit, Wallenberg had been recognized and memorialized across the globe. In 1963, Yad Vashem recognized him as a righteous man among nations. In 1981, Raoul Wallenberg became the second person to be bestowed honorary United States citizenship. In 1995, Congress unveiled a bronze bust dedicated to Wallenberg here in the Capitol, and today, it can be found, appropriately, in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center. Just 3 years ago, Mr. Speaker, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to Raoul Wallenberg--the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by Congress. Yet, for all of these memorials and all of these tributes since Raoul Wallenberg was last seen as a free man on January 17, 1945, his true fate remains a mystery. For 72 years now, the truth has eluded us and, worse, Raoul's family, loved ones, and the countless that he saved have been unable to receive the closure they deserve.…”