[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H9714-H9715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING USE OF ROTUNDA FOR DEDICATION INCIDENT TO PLACEMENT OF BUST
OF RAOUL WALLENBERG IN CAPITOL
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on House Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the
concurrent resolution [H. Con. Res. 94] authorizing the use of the
rotunda of the Capitol for a dedication ceremony incident to the
placement of a bust of Raoul Wallenberg in the Capitol, and ask for its
immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
Mr. PASTOR. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I yield to
the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers] to explain the purpose of the
concurrent resolution.
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to offer an explanation for
this resolution.
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish Protestant who risked his life to save
approximately 100,000 Hungarian Jews during World War II, at the time
that the Nazi troops occupied Hungary.
He was fearless in this effort. He risked his life; he risked the
lives of those around him, and certainly deserves commendation. This
country already has given him that commendation; in 1981, he was made
an honorary citizen of the United States by the Congress of the United
States. In 1994, this Congress passed legislation to place a bust of
Wallenberg in the Capitol to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his
rescue mission. The purpose of this particular resolution is to allow
the use of the Capitol rotunda for the ceremony at which this bust will
be dedicated.
If I may, Mr. Speaker, just add a personal comment. I happen to be of
Dutch extraction. Many of my relatives and friends were involved in the
resistance of World War II. Everyone here, I am sure, is familiar with
Das Tagebuch Der Anne Frank, The Dairy of Anne Frank, which chronicles
in a very touching and moving way some of the experiences of those who
were hid by my Dutch friends during World War
[[Page H 9715]]
II. It took great courage on the part of many people to do that. They
have earned respect throughout the world, just as Mr. Wallenberg has.
So I have a particular place in my heart for Mr. Wallenberg, who
epitomized the same thing my Dutch friends did and mirrored, perhaps
exceeded, their heroism in very, very difficult circumstances.
I strongly urge that we adopt this resolution unanimously and permit
the ceremony to take place so that we can dedicate the statue to Raoul
Wallenberg on November 2, 1995.
Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I
yield to the gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos].
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
Before making substantive comments, I would like to express my
appreciation to my good friend from Michigan, the gentleman from
California, Chairman Thomas of the Committee on House Oversight, to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Fazio], the ranking Democratic member of
the committee, and to the scores of colleagues in this body and in the
other body who over the years have paid tribute to Raoul Wallenberg.
Specifically, in connection with this resolution are Senator Warner of
Virginia, Senator Stevens of Alaska, Senator Ford of Kentucky, and
Senator Pell of Rhode Island.
I also want to express my appreciation to two colleagues who have
over the years been steadfast in their recognition of Wallenberg's
unique heroism, the chairman of the Committee on International
Relations, Mr. Gilman, and Senator Moynihan of New York.
Mr. Speaker, at a time when there is so much partisanship in this
body, it is wonderful to have a moment of high nobility on a bipartisan
basis. As my good friend from Michigan indicated, 50 years ago Raoul
Wallenberg, son of a most distinguished Lutheran family in Sweden,
risked his life leaving behind the comfort, the safety and the security
of neutral Sweden to come to Nazi-occupied and war-torn Hungary to save
innocent lives.
Through his heroism, 100,000 innocent human beings were saved. Raoul
Wallenberg did this heroic feat of larger than human proportions at the
request of our own Government. My first legislative act, Mr. Speaker,
in 1981, was to introduce a resolution making Raoul Wallenberg the
second honorary citizen of the United States, second since Winston
Churchill was the first. The House and the Senate had approved that
legislation, and in a special Rose Garden ceremony, President Reagan
signed the bill making Raoul Wallenberg the second honorary citizen of
the United States.
A decade ago, through legislation, we succeeded in renaming a portion
of the street where the Holocaust Museum is located as Raoul Wallenberg
Place. Raoul Wallenberg Place is now the official address of the
Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Last year, as my friend from Michigan indicated, Congress passed
legislation to accept a statue of Raoul Wallenberg, donated to the
Congress by an American citizen, Ms. Lillian Hoffman of Colorado. The
Swedish Government donated the marble pedestal on which the bust will
be located.
We are now dealing with a special dedication ceremony scheduled for
November 2. All of our colleagues are cordially invited. We expect the
legislative and executive branch of our own Government to be present at
the highest levels. The Government of Sweden, Hungary and Israel will
be represented with appropriate officials.
We will have in our Nation's Capitol a tribute for all eternity
honoring the heroism of a human being, who went beyond himself, who
recognized that true satisfaction comes only from serving others, in
this case in sacrificing his own life so others may live.
I strongly urge all of my colleagues to approve this resolution.'
Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, with great support for this resolution and
the ceremony, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:
H. Con. Res. 94
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
SECTION 1. DEDICATION CEREMONY AND PLACEMENT OF A BUST OF
RAOUL WALLENBERG IN THE CAPITOL.
The rotunda of the Capitol may be used on November 2, 1995,
for a ceremony incident to the placement of a bust of Raoul
Wallenberg in the Capitol as previously authorized by
Congress.
SEC. 2. SECURITY AND PHYSICAL PREPARATIONS.
The Capitol Police Board shall take such action with
respect to security as may be necessary to carry out section
1. The Architect of the Capitol shall make appropriate
physical preparations for the ceremony referred to in section
1.
The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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