[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 28 (Thursday, February 16, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 15, 2017

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congresswoman 
Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, for anchoring this Special Order and rise to 
remember and mourn the millions of souls lost in the Holocaust, the 
worst instance of man's inhumanity to man in human history.
  Nearly 72 years have passed since the end of World War II but for 
those who survived, and the descendants and relatives of those who 
perished, the Holocaust is not ancient history but a reminder of the 
evil that can be unleased when humans give into their worst instincts 
and appetites.
  The Holocaust's magnitude of destruction numbered more than 12 
million deaths, including 6 million Jews and 1.5 million children (more 
than 2/3 of European Jewry), and the ramifications of prejudice, racism 
and stereotyping on a society.
  A haunting quote in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 
refers to the story of Cain and Abel:

       The Lord said, ``What have you done? Listen! Your brother's 
     blood cries out to me from the ground (Genesis 4:11).

  The Holocaust forces us to confront uncomfortable questions such as 
the responsibilities of citizenship and the consequences of 
indifference and inaction, and the importance of education and 
awareness.
  The Holocaust is a testament to the fragility of democracy.
  We must resolve to resist prejudice and intolerance in any form.
  It fills me with grief to know that the leaders of nations can 
destroy their own, as did the Nazi regime. Yet I hope that we can 
continue to strengthen the means by which we can pursue justice.
  And I am saddened, outraged, and embarrassed that the current 
President of the United States could think it appropriate to issue a 
statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day that fails to make any mention 
of the defining crime of the 20th Century, the murder of 6 million 
persons for no reason other than they were Jews.
  But the vast majority of Americans remember and are united in this 
prayer and promise: Never Again.
  Thank you, Congresswoman Kaptur, for holding this important special 
order.
  I include in the Record the following statement from the President 
regarding International Holocaust Remembrance Day:

                            The White House

                     Office of the Press Secretary

               [For Immediate Release--January 27, 2017]


 Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

       It is with a heavy heart and somber mind that we remember 
     and honor the victims, survivors, heroes of the Holocaust. It 
     is impossible to fully fathom the depravity and horror 
     inflicted on innocent people by Nazi terror.
       Yet, we know that in the darkest hours of humanity, light 
     shines the brightest. As we remember those who died, we are 
     deeply grateful to those who risked their lives to save the 
     innocent.
       In the name of the perished, I pledge to do everything in 
     my power throughout my Presidency, and my life, to ensure 
     that the forces of evil never again defeat the powers of 
     good. Together, we will make love and tolerance prevalent 
     throughout the world.

                          ____________________