Steve Cohen: “This Nation lost a great American this week. United States Congressman Tom Lantos passed at the age of 80. Last night on…”

“This Nation lost a great American this week. United States Congressman Tom Lantos passed at the age of 80. Last night on this floor, there was an hour of bipartisan agreement of what this man meant to this country and how much we've lost. There will be a memorial service tomorrow under the Capitol rotunda. Tom Lantos was a Holocaust survivor who escaped from the Nazis twice and survived. He helped Jewish people survive the Holocaust through the good deeds of Raul Wallenberg, and he remembered that. He was a leader in this Congress and this Nation on human rights and civil rights, animal welfare rights, all living creatures. Mr. Speaker, as a freshman Member of Congress, I was befriended by Tom Lantos, who told me to call him 'Tom,' which was difficult to do. He was such a giant of a man. There are great opportunities to speak out on policy in this body and to serve in the greatest deliberative body in the world, but there are human stories, too. In my opinion, there are two saints that are Members or have been Members during this term that I have served. One is Congressman Lantos, and one is Congressman Lewis. They have overcome great adversity to go to great heights. I think this country owes a debt of gratitude to the Lantos family for his work. He will be sorely missed. I was fortunate to serve with him and to be able to call him a friend.”