[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 25 (Thursday, February 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E196-E197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DEATH 
     OF THE HONORABLE TOM LANTOS, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF 
                               CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 12, 2008

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today with great sadness to pay 
tribute to my colleague, my neighbor, and my friend, Congressman Tom 
Lantos.
  For three decades, Tom Lantos has been an eloquent voice for the 
voiceless here and around the world. With his passing, our country has 
lost a great champion for human rights. His dedication to his fellow 
human beings was rooted in having survived the Holocaust. His story of 
survival and escape from Nazi forced labor camps in Hungary during the 
Second World War is inspirational, but it was the memory of those, 
including his mother,

[[Page E197]]

whom he lost, that motivated him in his extraordinary career of public 
service.
  Tom Lantos' story was also the story of an immigrant. He said he was 
an American by choice. Coming to the United States through an academic 
scholarship, he worked hard and made the most of the opportunities that 
only America can offer. He earned degrees from the University of 
Washington and the University of California, Berkeley, and taught 
economics for 30 years before running for Congress in 1980, winning 
against a Republican incumbent in a Republican year.
   As a Member of Congress, Tom Lantos raised the profile of human 
rights in every corner of the world from China to Tibet and from Sudan 
to Burma. One of the first things he did when he came to Congress was 
to found the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1983. As the only 
Armenian-American serving in the House, I'm especially grateful for 
Tom's leadership as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee 
last year when he worked to secure the passage of legislation 
recognizing, at long last, the Armenian Genocide of 1915. His voice in 
the face of strong opposition from many fronts helped secure the 
passage of this resolution through the committee.
   Although Congressman Lantos' expertise was in world affairs, he took 
care of his constituents in California's 12th Congressional District. 
For 15 years I've had the privilege to serve with him, representing one 
of the most remarkable areas of our country. We worked together on 
efforts to preserve our local environment and improve transportation.
   Congressman Lantos' efforts are clearly visible throughout his 
congressional district. He worked to expand BART service at San 
Francisco International Airport and to create a water ferry service 
from San Mateo County to San Francisco. He led the effort to acquire 
Rancho Corral de Tierra for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 
and we worked together to fund a visitor's center for the Gulf of the 
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary at the Fitzgerald Marine Center.
   More important than the legacy of his work is the legacy of his 
family, especially the love of his life, his wife Annette; his 
daughters Annette and Katrina; and his 18 grandchildren and 2 great-
grandchildren. They always represented the greatest achievements of his 
great life.
   America was blessed by the life of Congressman Tom Lantos. May he 
rest in the peace that he worked so hard to bring to others during his 
entire life.

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