David Thomas: “this concurrent resolution is one that is presented annually, and, up until today, at least for a decade, and I believe…”

“this concurrent resolution is one that is presented annually, and, up until today, at least for a decade, and I believe this resolution has been requested for two decades, at least for a decade, it was sponsored by the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Yates. Sid Yates is no longer with us, so it is my privilege to offer this resolution with the ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), the gentleman from Ohio, (Chairman Regula), the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). Mr. Speaker, this year's celebration is one that strikes a theme directly remembering the period just prior to the United States entering World War II and the tumultuous nature of international relations at the time. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council is entrusted with sponsoring appropriate observances of the days of remembrance, and the U.S. Capitol rotunda ceremony is part of that effort. The theme of the 1999 commemoration is the 60th anniversary of the voyage of the S.S. St. Louis. In 1939, if you will all recall, Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, is usually marked as the actual beginning of the Second World War, the St. Louis sailed. It had as its passengers 936 Jewish refugees.…”