[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 27, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S63]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE HOLOCAUST VICTIMS REDRESS ACT

 Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the 
House of Representatives on passage of S.1564, ``The Holocaust Victims 
Redress Act.''
  The bill was passed by the Senate on November 13, 1997 and was 
referred back to the House where it was originally introduced by my 
colleagues, the Chairman of the House Banking Committee, Rep. Jim 
Leach, and Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, 
Rep. Ben Gilman. I am very pleased that we have been able to work 
together to pass this important legislation enabling the correction of 
a horrible injustice after the war. Now, needy survivors can obtain 
some measure of justice and dignity.
  Mr. President, this important bill contains two main provisions. 
First, the bill authorizes $25 million for a U.S. donation to the fund 
established by the United States and the United Kingdom at the London 
Conference on Nazi Gold in December. Second, the bill authorizes $5 
million for research into the issue and translation of foreign language 
documents coming from this effort. The Administration has been fully 
supportive of this effort. Undersecretary of State Stuart Eizenstat, 
particularly, has played a vital role in this effort and without him we 
would not be where we are today on the issue.
  Regarding the $5 million authorized in the bill for research, it is 
my strong belief that the management of these funds should be granted 
to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This museum is the one 
organization uniquely capable of conducting research like this, 
research that is a core function of its mission. The Museum, I might 
add, has been an invaluable aid to the Banking Committee during our on-
going inquiry into the disposition of Holocaust-era assets by Swiss 
banks from before, during and after the Holocaust. Accordingly, I can 
think of no better group to manage the research funding from this bill 
than the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
  Mr. President, I again want to thank my colleagues for their help in 
obtaining passage for this important bill. If we are going to try to 
obtain justice for victims of the Holocaust. While much more needs to 
be done on this issue, this is an important measure in this long 
overdue effort.

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