Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 537, the Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act, sponsored by Representative Salazar and myself. Following the sacrifices honored over the weekend on the anniversary of the historic battle of Normandy, Congress today has the opportunity with this bipartisan bill to honor 60 diplomats from around the world in recognition of their courage, devotion, and sacrifice to rescue countless numbers of Jewish and other persecuted people during the Nazi occupation of Europe. The Holocaust was the genocide of over 6 million Jews and millions of others by the Nazis and has come to symbolize the depths of human cruelty, dehumanization, and mass violence. We remember the lives of over 10 million victims of Nazi Germany's persecution and mass executions, and today we recognize some of those individuals who demonstrated humanity and courage. The diplomats recognized by H.R. 537 and honored with this medal come from across the world. They faced a choice between being complacent with their then- Nazi occupiers or following their conscience. Risking their lives and careers, they chose humanity and became heroes. After the Nazis took control of Germany and waged war on Europe, diplomats and foreign officials were in difficult positions.…”