[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4790]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE NATURALIZATION OF BERENDINA R.H. (DIET) EMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 2007

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Ms. Berendina 
R.H. (Diet) Eman, who this morning became one of the newest citizens of 
our United States of America.
  Ms. Eman is a native of The Netherlands, but has been a lawful, 
permanent resident of the United States in Grand Rapids, MI, for more 
than 4 decades. Ms. Eman deserves special recognition because during 
World War II, she was a member of the Dutch Underground Resistance to 
the Nazi occupiers of The Netherlands. As a young woman, Diet bravely 
and courageously saved the lives of countless Jewish Dutch citizens, 
helped numerous Allied soldiers escape from Axis forces and ultimately 
was imprisoned in the Vught concentration camp for her activities.
  For these many acts of bravery, Ms. Eman was recognized immediately 
after the war by GEN Dwight David Eisenhower, then the Supreme Allied 
Commander in Europe. She received a certificate signed by General 
Eisenhower expressing ``the gratitude and appreciation of the American 
people for gallant service in assisting the escape of Allied soldiers 
from the enemy.''
  Years later, Diet was recognized by the Government of The Netherlands 
for her acts and also received a letter of commendation from President 
Ronald Reagan in 1982. In that letter, President Reagan noted that she 
``helped write one of the great chapters in the annals of bravery,'' 
adding, ``In risking your safety to adhere to a higher law of decency 
and morality, you have set a high and fearless standard for all those 
who oppose totalitarianism.''
  She is now nearly 87 years old, and I am humbled by her excitement to 
become a U.S. Citizen after first coming to our country on December 31, 
1960. This morning at 10 a.m., she was sworn in as a citizen by the 
Hon. Robert Holmes Bell in a private oath ceremony in Grand Rapids, MI. 
Although I was unable to attend the ceremony due to our duties here in 
Washington, I hope the members of this House of Representatives will 
join me in thanking Ms. Eman for her incredible acts of bravery and 
congratulating her upon becoming a citizen of our country.

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