[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 235 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 235

Urging the Government of Argentina to build upon the steps it has taken 
  to shed light on the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war 
    criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the 
    subsequent end of World War II and release all official records 
   pertaining to the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war 
                   criminals following these events.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2003

    Mr. Hinchey (for himself, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Bell, Ms. Carson of 
 Indiana, Mr. Case, Mr. Deutsch, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Filner, Mr. Frost, Mr. 
Gonzalez, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Honda, Mr. Israel, Mrs. Maloney, 
 Mr. McNulty, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Shays, Mrs. Tauscher, Ms. 
 Watson, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Wexler, and Mr. Wynn) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Urging the Government of Argentina to build upon the steps it has taken 
  to shed light on the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war 
    criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the 
    subsequent end of World War II and release all official records 
   pertaining to the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war 
                   criminals following these events.

Whereas Nazis and other war criminals seeking to avoid prosecution for their 
        role in the Holocaust, one of the most horrific crimes ever witnessed by 
        human kind, were permitted to relocate to Argentina following the defeat 
        of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent end of World War II;
Whereas some of the most notorious criminals of the Holocaust resided in 
        Argentina, including Adolf Eichmann, Edward Roschmann, Erich Priebke, 
        Kurt Christmann, and Ante Pavelic;
Whereas Argentina, as a member of the Task Force for International Cooperation 
        on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research, has agreed on the 
        importance of encouraging all archives, both public and private, to make 
        their holdings on the Holocaust more widely accessible;
Whereas Argentina, as a member of the Task Force for International Cooperation 
        on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research, has committed to the 
        Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust and 
        therefore agreed to ``throw light on the still obscured shadows of the 
        Holocaust'' and committed to ``take all necessary steps to facilitate 
        the opening of archives in order to ensure that all documents bearing on 
        the Holocaust are available to researchers'';
Whereas in 1997 Argentina created the Commission of Inquiry into the Activities 
        of Nazism in Argentina to identify Nazis who settled in the country, 
        determine if Nazi loot had arrived in Argentina, and evaluate the impact 
        of Nazism on Argentine society;
Whereas in addition to the Commission of Inquiry into the Activities of Nazism, 
        more work needs to be done by the Government of Argentina to fulfill its 
        international commitments and shed light on the relocation of Nazis and 
        other war criminals following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the 
        subsequent end of World War II because much remains unknown about this 
        period;
Whereas the New York Times reported on March 9, 2003, that the Government of 
        Argentina is resisting calls to make public official records regarding 
        collaborative efforts to relocate Nazis and other war criminals to 
        Argentina;
Whereas Argentina has not responded to requests from numerous researchers for 
        access to Argentina's archives on the relocation of Nazis and other war 
        criminals;
Whereas the release of all records regarding the relocation of Nazis and other 
        war criminals to Argentina is necessary to form a full understanding of 
        the aftermath of the Holocaust and to ensure that future attempts by war 
        criminals to avoid prosecution are thwarted;
Whereas the release of such records in no way indicts the present Government of 
        Argentina in the relocation of Nazis and other war criminals; and
Whereas the release of such records by the Government of Argentina will be 
        viewed as an important and positive gesture to all people who seek an 
        accurate accounting of history: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Government of Argentina should--
            (1) build upon the steps it has taken to shed light on the 
        relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other war criminals 
        following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and the subsequent 
        end of World War II; and
            (2) make public all of Argentina's official records 
        pertaining to the relocation to Argentina of Nazis and other 
        war criminals.
                                 <all>