Congressional Record, Volume 153 Issue 49 (Wednesday, March 21, 2007)

[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 21, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2793-H2795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PERMITTING USE OF ROTUNDA FOR A CEREMONY COMMEMORATING THE DAYS OF
REMEMBRANCE OF VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 66) permitting the
use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the
commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

H. Con. Res. 66

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),

SECTION 1. USE OF ROTUNDA FOR HOLOCAUST DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE
CEREMONY.

The rotunda of the Capitol is authorized to be used on
April 19, 2007, for a ceremony as part of the commemoration
of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.
Physical preparations for the ceremony shall be carried out
in accordance with such conditions as the Architect of the
Capitol may prescribe.

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The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Mrs. Davis) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
McCarthy) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.

General Leave

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5
legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks in the
Record on this concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
66, which authorizes the use of the Capitol rotunda for a ceremony on
April 19, 2007, commemorating the victims of the Holocaust.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Council is entrusted with
observing the Days of Remembrance. These Days of Remembrance and the
solemn ceremony at the Capitol set the manner in which similar events
across our country pay homage to the 6 million people who lost their
lives during one of mankind's darkest periods in history.
When World War II ended in 1945, 6 million European Jews were dead,
including more than 1 million Jewish children. While all Jews were
marked for death, children were among the most defenseless.
This year, the Holocaust Memorial Council, which oversees the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum and organizes the annual Days of Remembrance,
has selected ``Children in Crisis: Voices from the Holocaust'' as its
theme.
In any day and age, among the most vulnerable targets are children,
and most often they are the first victims of senseless deeds. The
children of the Holocaust endured lives filled with fear and suffering.
The emotional and physical cruelty forced upon them is unimaginable. It
is estimated that over 1 million, and as many as 1.5 million, Jewish
boys and girls were murdered under Nazi rule in Germany and occupied
Europe. These children were murdered because they were Jewish, not
because of any action they had taken; not because of any crime they had
committed, but simply because of their religion and their ethnicity.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that a number of the Members have been to Yad
Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, and I have an enduring
image there of the children, the stars which represent them, the
luminaries which hang from the ceiling, those tens of thousands of
luminaries which remind us all of this overwhelming reason for us to
remember these children.
Many children of the Holocaust were confronted by overpowering and
destructive forces, separated from their parents and coerced into
hiding. Children who found themselves hiding in the shadows were faced
with unyielding hardships, and some were subjected to dark, cramped
conditions for weeks, for months and even years, while others wandered
from place to place seeking refuge, never knowing who to trust.
For those who survived, the end of the war was rarely the end of the
struggle. Many children found themselves alone, with no family to be
reunited with. The devastating and heart-wrenching reality was that
there were no surviving family members, and they would now face the
future without parents, grandparents or siblings.
So, as we stop to reflect on this heinous event, let it serve as a
reminder that there is no room for prejudice, oppression and hatred. As
American and world citizens, it is important that succeeding
generations are called upon to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust
and the similarities in the hate crimes we see today.
The will of the human spirit indeed is unwavering in the face of
adversity, and history has shown us that in times of despair, humanity
prevails and always looks towards a brighter future.
There is no better place than the United States Capitol rotunda to
embody the reverence and dignity so deserving and honoring the victims
of the Holocaust, especially the children. The United States Capitol
has stood as a symbol of freedom and liberty and a symbol of hopes and
dreams.
It is important, Mr. Speaker, that we use the rotunda, the scene of
so many historic events, to draw attention again to one of the immense
tragedies in human history and to take this time also to honor our
colleagues who were personally victimized by the Holocaust or whose
families suffered and died, and to pledge anew that such a atrocities
must not be permitted to occur. We recall the words, ``never again,
never again.''
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 66. The purpose of
this resolution is to authorize the use of the Capitol rotunda on April
19 for this year's national ceremony to commemorate Holocaust
Remembrance Day. I am pleased that with the passage of this resolution,
the Congress will be able to, once again, provide a venue for those who
wish to mark this solemn occasion in the peaceful setting that the
rotunda provides.
The annual Days of Remembrance provide all Americans with an
opportunity to reflect together upon the Holocaust, to remember its
victims and to renew our commitment to democracy and human rights.
In order to help focus our reflections on the Holocaust, the United
States Holocaust Memorial Museum selects a yearly theme. This year we
reflect on Children in Crisis: Voices from the Holocaust.
Mr. Speaker, an estimated 1 million Jewish children died at the hands
of the Nazi regime during the Holocaust. Being the most vulnerable,
children were often the first of the victims to be targeted for death.
Many times they were sent to the gas chambers immediately following
their arrivals in the concentration camps because most were not old or
strong enough to work under the forced labor conditions. But at the
same time, this year's theme also recognizes the importance of
remembering those children who were able to survive through their own
courage and determination and the aid of dedicated individuals risking
their own lives to help thwart the horrible intentions of the Nazi
Party.
I think it is imperative that we never forget either the horrors of
the Holocaust or the incredible courage and humanity that enabled some
children to survive such awful conditions.
So, Mr. Speaker, I urge the support of this resolution.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be the sponsor of this
resolution to authorize the use of the Capitol rotunda on April 19,
2007 for the annual congressional ceremony to commemorate the
Holocaust.
The United States was one of the first countries to adopt a national
day for Holocaust commemoration. It is one of the only nations in the
world to observe Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Heroes and Remembrance Day, on
the same day chosen by the State of Israel--the Hebrew anniversary of
the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
Each year, on Yom Hashoah communities around the United States come
together to memorialize the millions who perished. We remember the
heroism of those who fought back and pay tribute to the survivors and
the tremendous courage and strength it took for them to rebuild their
lives. We stand against the anti-Semitism and intolerance that fed the
Nazi machine and sadly continues to resurface today.
While this resolution may be routine by nature, it is a testament to
the commitment of Congress to make sure that the history of the
Holocaust is never forgotten or repeated.
I would like to thank the House administration for its work on this
legislation. I encourage all of my colleagues to participate in the
ceremony in the rotunda.
Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 66.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the

[[Page H2795]]

Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.

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