[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2084]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING CONGRESSMAN TOM LANTOS

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, this Nation lost a great American this week. 
United States Congressman Tom Lantos passed at the age of 80. Last 
night on this floor, there was an hour of bipartisan agreement of what 
this man meant to this country and how much we've lost. There will be a 
memorial service tomorrow under the Capitol rotunda.
  Tom Lantos was a Holocaust survivor who escaped from the Nazis twice 
and survived. He helped Jewish people survive the Holocaust through the 
good deeds of Raul Wallenberg, and he remembered that. He was a leader 
in this Congress and this Nation on human rights and civil rights, 
animal welfare rights, all living creatures.
  Mr. Speaker, as a freshman Member of Congress, I was befriended by 
Tom Lantos, who told me to call him ``Tom,'' which was difficult to do. 
He was such a giant of a man.
  There are great opportunities to speak out on policy in this body and 
to serve in the greatest deliberative body in the world, but there are 
human stories, too.
  In my opinion, there are two saints that are Members or have been 
Members during this term that I have served. One is Congressman Lantos, 
and one is Congressman Lewis. They have overcome great adversity to go 
to great heights. I think this country owes a debt of gratitude to the 
Lantos family for his work. He will be sorely missed. I was fortunate 
to serve with him and to be able to call him a friend.

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