[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  CONDEMNING IRAN'S COMMITMENT TO HOLD INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST DENIAL 
                               CONFERENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2006

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 
1091, which condemns in the strongest terms Iran's commitment to hold 
an international Holocaust denial conference on December 11-12, 2006. I 
am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important resolution.
  I have the honor of representing one of the world's largest 
communities of Holocaust survivors in the United States. It is on their 
behalf, and on behalf of all of their friends and family who perished 
at the hands ofthe Nazis and their collaborators during World War II, 
that I make this statement today.
  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's current intent to host an 
international Holocaust denial conference is only the latest abominable 
act he has taken in a series of anti-Semitic Holocaust denial 
statements and actions since he rose to power.
  Those of us who understand history and humanity will not let 
President Ahmadinejad's efforts to diminish what was one of mankind's 
worst disasters go unanswered. No rational person can deny the 
systematic state-sponsored murder of 6,000,000 Jews and other targeted 
groups by Nazi Gennany and its collaborators during World War II. The 
Holocaust happened. It was the worst crime and the largest mass murder 
of the last century. It is a fact.
  President Ahmadinejad's past and present declarations and actions--
spewing outrageous anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric, remaining a 
primary source of funding, training, and support for terrorist groups, 
and openly threatening Israel and the United States--prove President 
Ahmadinejad is on a crusade of hatred and are deeply troubling acts.
  I hope other governments, especially those in Middle East and Islamic 
world, and those on the UN Security Council will join me in speaking 
out against this hateful and untruthful rhetoric. President 
Ahmadinejad's assault on the truth is an insult to all.
  After the Holocaust the Jewish people vowed to ``Never Forget.'' We 
will never forget. And the world must never forget. And we will never 
bow to the ignorance, threats, bigotry and fanaticism of Iranian 
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad--a man whose actions and words are an 
insult to the great Persian people.
  I thank my colleagues who will vote unanimously to pass H. Res. 1091.

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