Congressional Record, Volume 156 Issue 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)

[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7713-H7716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CALLING FOR DIGNITY, COMFORT, AND SUPPORT FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 323) supporting
the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust survivors in the United States
are able to live with dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining
years.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

H. Con. Res. 323

Whereas during the Holocaust, which took place between 1933
and 1945, an estimated 6,000,000 Jews and other targeted
groups were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators;
Whereas prior to and during World War II, the United States
consistently refused to permit large-scale immigration of
Jewish refugees, including the refusal of 936 Jewish refugees
on the SS St. Louis in 1939;
Whereas after the end of World War II and the liberation of
the concentration, labor, and death camps, many Jewish
refugees who returned home were the victims of numerous
violent pogroms, and those who did not return were housed in
displaced persons camps in Europe;
Whereas between 1945 and 1952, approximately 96,000
Holocaust survivors displaced after the end of World War II
were admitted to the United States;
Whereas since 1952, more than 100,000 additional Holocaust
survivors, including Russian immigrants who suffered from
persecution and anti-Semitic acts under the Soviet regime,
emigrated to the United States;
Whereas approximately 127,000 Holocaust survivors remain in
the United States, and many pass away each year;
Whereas those who survived torture and forced labor under
Nazi occupation in concentration, labor, and death camps, as
well as those who were forced to flee to a country or region
not under Nazi rule or occupation during that time, continue
to live with the scars of this unconscionable tragedy;
Whereas all Holocaust survivors are at least 65 years old
with approximately three-quarters of them older than 75 and a
majority in their 80s and 90s;
Whereas approximately two-thirds of Holocaust survivors are
elderly women who have challenges such as family caregiving,
face risks such as isolation and financial insecurity, and
have specific health needs;
Whereas Holocaust survivors are 5 times more likely to be
living below the poverty line than other older people living
in the United States, and more than half of all Holocaust
survivors fall beneath 200 percent of the Federal poverty
threshold;
Whereas Holocaust survivors are more reliant on social
service programs than most people in the United States over
the age of 65, with proportionally more survivors than other
older people needing home health care;
Whereas approximately two-thirds of Holocaust survivors
live alone, and living alone is a risk factor for
institutionalization;
Whereas while institutionalized settings are beneficial for
some older people in the United States, institutions have a
disproportionate adverse effect on Holocaust survivors by
reintroducing the sights, sounds, and routines of
institutionalization that are reminiscent of experiences
during the Holocaust;
Whereas Holocaust survivors are getting older and frailer,
and will be seeking support and assistance from social
service providers to enable them to age in place; and
Whereas the United States represents and defends the values
of freedom, liberty, and justice and has a moral obligation
to acknowledge the plight and uphold the dignity of Holocaust
survivors to ensure their well-being in their remaining
years: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) supports the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust
survivors in the United States are

[[Page H7714]]

able to live with dignity, comfort, and security in their
remaining years;
(2) applauds the nonprofit organizations and agencies that
work tirelessly to honor and assist Holocaust survivors in
their communities;
(3) urges the Administration and the Department of Health
and Human Services, in conjunction with the Administration on
Aging (AoA), to provide Holocaust survivors with needed
social services through existing programs; and
(4) encourages the Administration on Aging to expeditiously
develop and implement programs that ensure Holocaust
survivors are able to age in place in their communities and
avoid institutionalization during their remaining years.

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

General Leave

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days
during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous
material on House Concurrent Resolution 323 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
323, which supports the goals of ensuring that all Holocaust survivors
in the United States are able to live with dignity, comfort, and
security in their remaining years.
During the Holocaust, which took place between 1933 and 1945, the
Nazis and their partners murdered an estimated 6 million Jews and other
targeted groups. Those who survived torture and forced labor under Nazi
occupation continue to live with the scars of this horrible tragedy.

{time} 1740

This resolution supports the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust
survivors in the United States are able to live with dignity and
comfort in their remaining years. I applaud the nonprofit organizations
and agencies that work extensively to honor and assist the Holocaust
survivors in their communities.
This resolution urges the administration and the Department of Health
and Human Services, in conjunction with the Administration on Aging, to
provide Holocaust survivors with needed social services through
existing programs.
Lastly, the resolution encourages the Administration on Aging to
develop and implement programs that ensure Holocaust survivors are able
to age in place in their communities and avoid being institutionalized
during their remaining years.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Representative Wasserman
Schultz, for introducing this resolution, and once again express my
support. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
323, to support the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust survivors in
the United States are able to live with dignity, comfort, and security
in their remaining years. Sixty-seven years ago, a brave group of
Jewish resistance fighters rose up against their German occupiers in
the Warsaw Ghetto when the Nazis attempted to transport the remaining
population to Treblinka extermination camp. Launched on January 18,
1943, the bulk of the uprising took place from April the 19 through May
16. It was the largest single revolt by the Jewish people during the
Holocaust.
The United States officially commemorates the Holocaust during the
Days of Remembrance, which is held each April, marking the anniversary
of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. For the Holocaust survivors admitted or
emigrated to the United States in the wake of the horrific atrocities
during World War II, these events are a stark reminder of the darkness
and hate they endured on a daily basis for more than 12 years.
Today, there are more than 36 million people in the United States who
are over the age of 65, making it the fastest growing age group in the
country. Of this total, more than 127,000 are Holocaust survivors
remaining in the United States. All Holocaust survivors are at least 65
years old, and approximately three-quarters of them are older than 75
years of age, and a majority in their eighties and nineties. As more of
these survivors age every year, our Federal, State, and local
governments must provide them with the needed services they need to
maintain their health and independence in their homes and communities.
The U.S. Administration on Aging, part of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, and responsible for administering the Older
Americans Act, plays an important role in organizing and delivering
social services for elderly Americans. The Older Americans Act is the
first stop for seniors and their families to identify home- and
community-based long-term care options, as well as transportation,
nutrition, and referral to home care, health, and other social
services.
When Congress, led by the Education and Labor Committee, last
reauthorized the law in 2006, we strengthened the act to promote
consumer choice, as well as home- and community-based supports to help
older individuals avoid institutional care, improve health and
nutrition programs, and educational and volunteer services, increase
Federal, State, and local coordination, and reform employment-based
training for older Americans. These important changes will ensure the
quality and effectiveness of Federal programs aimed at assisting the
elderly, including the Holocaust survivors still living and residing in
the U.S.
Mr. Speaker, today we honor 127,000 survivors of the Holocaust
currently living in the United States, and we pay tribute to those
brave souls who have passed away over the last six decades. We applaud
the work of nonprofit organizations and agencies that have worked and
continued to work tirelessly to honor and to assist Holocaust survivors
in their local communities. And we must commit to providing those
survivors with needed social services so they are able to live with
dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining years.
I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 323.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5
minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), who is
the author of this resolution.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer House
Concurrent Resolution 323, Ensuring that Holocaust Survivors Live with
Dignity, Comfort, and Security. This important resolution recognizes
the plight of Holocaust survivors, honors their unique needs, and
pledges to help survivors attain the utmost comfort and well-being in
their remaining years. And I want to thank my colleague from Virginia
(Mr. Wolf) for cosponsoring it with me.
At the end of World War II, the Jewish population of Europe had been
decimated through brutal, systematic annihilation by the Nazis. The
atrocities perpetrated by the Nazi regime against Jews, Roma, the
disabled, and other minority populations introduced a level of
inhumanity previously unknown to this world. The Holocaust is a stain
on our history which our society has pledged to never forget lest we
risk repeating the barbarity of the past. The Jewish population around
the world is still grieving from the loss of 6 million.
In the wake of this incomparable human destruction, thousands of
survivors immigrated to America. Here, they hoped to secure a better
future for themselves and their children. Escaping a ravaged Europe,
survivors saw our Nation as a global example of freedom, liberty, and
justice. They left the wreckage of the Holocaust and sought comfort on
our shores. These brave survivors, who faced the terror of
concentration camps, the trauma of fleeing Nazi occupation, and the
grief of losing so many loved ones, embraced the American dream, raised
families, and enriched our Nation and society in fields ranging from
academia to medicine, art and government. Our country is stronger for
their contributions, and our children have learned so much from the
experiences of Holocaust survivors.

[[Page H7715]]

Now, more than 70 years later, there is more we can and must do to
ensure that those who survived such atrocities live out their remaining
years in peace. There are more than 127,000 Holocaust survivors still
living in our Nation today, with more than three-quarters of them older
than age 75, and a majority in their eighties and nineties. Roughly
two-thirds of all survivors in America live alone, and many lack the
financial resources for the most basic necessities, including proper
housing and health care. In fact, a majority of Holocaust survivors
fall below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line, equivalent to
$21,660 per year, making this fragile community most at risk for being
forced into a group living situation.
It is a little known tragedy that so many survivors of the death
camps have aged in poverty and destitution in the United States. As a
Nation that so strongly upholds the values of freedom and justice, we
have a moral obligation to acknowledge the plight of these survivors
and uphold their dignity to ensure their well-being in their remaining
years. It is vital that we help this population, as a testament to what
they have endured, and to fulfill the promise of justice that they
sought in the United States.
As victims of terror and torture, these survivors have special needs
that would benefit from the further development of social service
programs to allow survivors to age in place in their current
residences. Institutionalized settings, while appropriate and even
beneficial for many older Americans, have a disproportionately adverse
effect on Holocaust survivors, as these environments reintroduce the
sights, sounds, and routines reminiscent of experiences during the
Holocaust.
It is impossible for us to imagine the traumatic nightmares that
survivors still experience. That is why it is so important for us to
help this particular population secure alternatives to
institutionalization such as aging in place, which may be more
appropriate for a Holocaust survivor.
In introducing this legislation, we applaud those organizations that
have already dedicated their tireless efforts to honoring and assisting
Holocaust survivors in their communities across the country. These
organizations strive every day to improve the difficult situations
facing survivors in our communities. It is important that in coming
years Congress work with the administration and the Department of
Health and Human Services to provide Holocaust survivors with needed
social services through existing programs, such as at the
Administration on Aging.
It is fortuitous that this resolution comes to the floor the same
week that we celebrate Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights. This
holiday is a time to dedicate ourselves to the ideals of justice. At a
time of year when people of all backgrounds are exchanging gifts, we
must remember those in our society who have had so much taken from them
in their lifetimes. We must share these stories and proclaim these
lessons in public, that ours is a Nation of freedom and justice for
all.
Our children's generation will be the last to know Holocaust
survivors and hear their stories firsthand. We must do all we can to
honor their struggles and their lives by granting them the utmost peace
in their remaining years.
I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their
strong support; 102 Members are cosponsors of this resolution.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my
distinguished colleague from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).

{time} 1750

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 323
and thank the gentleman for yielding.
I believe we have a moral obligation to ensure that all members of
our society are able to age with grace and dignity and to speak out, to
speak out if we notice that a particular group within our society is
facing unique barriers toward this goal.
As many have noted earlier, there are approximately 127,000 Holocaust
survivors living in the United States today. Despite being victims of
unfathomable crimes, and crimes that unfortunately the world stood by
and looked the other way for years and years and years, these
individuals immigrated and assimilated into the United States to become
valuable members and contributors to our society.
Nursing homes and assisted care settings provide many of my
constituents with an invaluable service and caring homes. However, we
are noticing that a disproportionate number of Holocaust survivors,
many of whom are now in their eighties and nineties, are not able to
easily transition to these facilities.
This is specifically due to their horrific past experiences. Just
remember the movie, Schindler's List. Many facilities simply do not
have the additional resources that would be necessary to care for most
of these survivors.
Given this challenge, it is important we work to raise awareness of
existing opportunities to minimize this emerging situation. Many
Holocaust survivors and the nonprofit organizations and agencies that
work with them daily have found that aging-in-place programs help to
alleviate this problem.
I urge that the administration, the Department of Health and Human
Services, in partnership with the Administration on Aging, and
nonprofit groups, work with the Holocaust survivors to address their
needs through existing programs and also to work on developing
innovative and efficient solutions to address this challenge.
I am pleased to work again with my colleague from Florida (Ms.
Wasserman Schultz), to introduce this resolution to highlight this
issue. Again, as I said, for the longest time in the thirties and
forties, the world looked the other way.
Just go to the Holocaust Museum and see many times people were crying
out and the word was coming out of Germany and yet people looked the
other way.
So I strongly urge support of this and I hope when it's voted on, if
there is a roll call vote, it will be a unanimous vote.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. I rise today in support of this resolution to ensure
that all Holocaust survivors in the United States are able to live with
dignity, comfort and security and congratulate Congresswoman Wasserman
Schultz on its introduction.
An estimated 127,000 Holocaust survivors live in the United States
today, including over 3,500 in the Chicago area, many in my
congressional district. The Village of Skokie is home to one of the
largest concentrations of Holocaust survivors in the country, and they
inspired the building of the world-class Illinois Holocaust Museum and
Education Center in Skokie.
Holocaust survivors are five times more likely to be living below the
poverty level than other older Americans, and over half fall beneath
200 percent of the Federal poverty threshold. These men and women have
survived the worst of human abuses and many have special needs as they
age. It is critical that we uphold the dignity of Holocaust survivors
and ensure their well-being in their remaining years.
I would like to applaud the efforts of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Chicago and other such organization that are working
tirelessly to honor and assist Holocaust survivors in our community. We
must all do more to ensure that Holocaust survivors can spend their
remaining years living in comfort, dignity and security.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).
Mr. QUIGLEY. I rise today to support this resolution and thank its
sponsor, the gentlewoman from Florida, and call for its quick passage.
This important resolution highlights the often forgotten special
needs of the few remaining Holocaust survivors. It also calls for the
assurances that their final years will be comfortable and dignified.
Over 100,000 Holocaust survivors live in the U.S. today with 3,500 of
those living in my city, Chicago. Three-quarters of those are in their
eighties and nineties. The majority live alone and more than half live
below the poverty line. As these individuals who survived torture,
starvation and unspeakable

[[Page H7716]]

terrors age, they deserve to do so in their own homes rather than in
institutional settings.
After all they have endured and overcome, these spirited survivors of
the Holocaust deserve access to social service programs sensitive to
their unique needs. This resolution will ensure they spend their last
years with the same dignity with which they lived.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Engel).
Mr. ENGEL. I thank my fellow New Yorker for yielding.
I rise to support this legislation, this resolution. Everyone has
spoken very eloquently, and I concur with everything that has been
said. When I was looking at the resolution and the reasons for
supporting it, I was absolutely shocked to see that there were still
127,000 Holocaust survivors left in the United States. I would have
thought it was much, much less. And, of course, as people are saying
many of them are in their eighties and nineties and deserve a little
added help.
This great country has been a refuge for so many people throughout
the years of this great republic and certainly the Holocaust survivors
that came here after the Holocaust have been treated with dignity, have
moved into American society. Their children and grandchildren have
achieved great heights. But, unfortunately, too many of them today
still live alone, are in their eighties and nineties, and need our
help.
So I rise to support this resolution. I think this is the most noble
thing that we can do. It's a great testimony to our great Nation, and I
urge all my colleagues to support it.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I want to associate my last
remarks with the gentleman from New York and the remarks that have been
made.
I think one of the greatest blights in world history is the history
of the Holocaust. The world stood by and watched the murder of millions
of innocent men, women and children. We just a moment ago spoke about
child advocacy, and look at the families that were dislodged,
displaced. It's one of the most horrific events in world history, I
believe, and should never, ever, be allowed to be repeated on this
Earth.
So I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this
resolution. It's a privilege to be here and be on the House floor to
speak on behalf of that.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, the Holocaust was one of the
most unspeakable tragedies in history. The amount pain and suffering of
those individuals who endured the terror of the Nazi regime can never
be quantified.
House Concurrent Resolution 323 is an important resolution that calls
on our Nation to ensure that Holocaust survivors are afforded
appropriate resources in order to live their remaining years with
dignity.
I am thankful that we live in a country that continues to cherish
individual freedoms and maintains an unbreakable bond with Israel. It's
imperative that our Nation teach lessons from the past, be a force for
tolerance, and build upon shared democratic values and desire for
security and stability.
With this in mind, I was proud to introduce H.R. 6363, the Supporting
Law Enforcement through Lessons of the Holocaust Act earlier this
Congress.
This legislation creates a new 4-year grant at the Department of
Justice, our State and local law enforcement agencies, to carry out the
programs that will teach these officers about the implications of the
Holocaust for modern day law enforcement professionals.
Stories of personal struggle from the Holocaust live on through our
historic records, families, friends and survivors of that horrific
time. Our Nation owes it to the survivors to ensure their security and
safety with utmost priority.
With that, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Klein).

{time} 1800

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. I thank the lady.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Con. Res. 323, a resolution
that calls attention to the thousands of Holocaust survivors who are
living below the poverty line. We know in Florida we have a tremendous
number of people that have come from that background. They deserve to
live their lives in dignity. Holocaust survivors have endured torturous
and unimaginable nightmares. All the more so they should be assured a
life of comfort and security. It is truly tragic that Holocaust
survivors are five times more likely to live below the poverty line
than other older Americans.
We are coming together as Members today to send a clear message that
we must all help lift Holocaust survivors out of poverty. This is a
community obligation because we are human, and we must not allow
suffering like this to reach those who have already suffered so much.
I would like to thank my friend, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman
Schultz, the chief sponsor of this legislation. South Florida is truly
lucky to have you. I would also like to commend the many good
organizations in Florida and around the country that provide stellar
social services to Holocaust survivors. They understand the unique
needs of the survivor population and the urgent imperative to solve
this crisis.
I call on my colleagues to swiftly pass this important resolution so
that we may tell Holocaust survivors, you are not alone.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as an original sponsor of H. Con.
Res. 323, a bipartisan resolution conceived with the purpose of
ensuring that all Holocaust survivors in the United States are able to
live with dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining years.
During the Holocaust, an estimated 6,000,000 Jews and other targeted
groups were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.
Approximately 96,000 Holocaust survivors were admitted to the United
States immediately after the war. Another 100,000 Holocaust survivors
were admitted after 1952. Today, approximately 127,000 Holocaust
survivors live in the United States.
The majority of Holocaust survivors are at least 65 years old and
approximately two-thirds of them are elderly women. Many of them face
the risk of isolation and financial insecurity.
Holocaust survivors are 5 times more likely to be living below the
poverty line than other older people living in the United States. They
are more reliant on social service programs and most of them live
alone. Living alone puts these survivors at increased risk of
institutionalization.
While institutionalized settings are beneficial for some older
people, institutionalization has a disproportionate adverse effect on
Holocaust survivors by reintroducing sights, sounds, and routines that
are reminiscent of their experiences during the Holocaust.
This bill encourages the Administration and the Department of Health
and Human Services, in conjunction with the Administration on Aging, to
provide Holocaust survivors with needed social services through
existing programs. The bill also urges the Administration to
expeditiously develop and implement programs that ensure Holocaust
survivors are able to live their remaining years in place in their
communities.
Mr. Speaker, the United States is a nation that values freedom,
liberty, and justice. As such, we are morally obligated to acknowledge
the plight and encourage the dignity of our citizens, such as survivors
of the Holocaust, who have suffered and who are in need.
I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. 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 New York (Mrs. McCarthy) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 323.
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. McCARTHY of New York. 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
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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