[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19758-19760]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING GERDA WEISSMANN KLEIN ON PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1743) congratulating Gerda Weissmann Klein on being 
selected to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1743

       Whereas Gerda Weissmann was born in Bielsko, Poland in 
     1924;
       Whereas within months of the German invasion of Poland in 
     1939, Ms. Weissmann's brother Arthur was taken away by the 
     Germans and the remainder of her family was forced to live in 
     a ghetto;
       Whereas Ms. Weissmann was soon separated from her parents, 
     who were sent to Auschwitz;
       Whereas Ms. Weissmann was forced to spend the next 3 years 
     in a succession of slave-labor and concentration camps;
       Whereas in 1945, Ms. Weissmann was forced to walk in a 350-
     mile death march during which 2,000 women, including Ms. 
     Weissmann, were subjected to starvation, exposure, and 
     arbitrary execution;
       Whereas the death march ended in Volary, Czechoslovakia, 
     when the survivors were liberated by the United States Army;
       Whereas Ms. Weissmann was one of less than 120 women to 
     survive the death march;
       Whereas one of the American Army officers who helped 
     liberate the survivors was German-born Lieutenant Kurt Klein, 
     whose parents had been murdered in Auschwitz;
       Whereas Ms. Weissmann and Lieutenant Klein fell in love, 
     got married, and moved to the United States to start a 
     family;
       Whereas upon moving to the United States, Mrs. Weissmann 
     Klein worked vigilantly to promote Holocaust education and 
     remembrance, teach tolerance, and combat hunger;
       Whereas Mrs. Weissmann Klein's first book, All But My Life, 
     was published in 1957, and chronicles her courageous struggle 
     for survival during the Holocaust;
       Whereas One Survivor Remembers, a documentary about Mrs. 
     Weissmann Klein's experiences during the Holocaust, won an 
     Academy Award in 1996;
       Whereas Mrs. Weissmann Klein's lifelong work has been to 
     repay this country for her freedom and the boundless 
     opportunities given to her, she founded Citizenship Counts, a 
     nonprofit organization that teaches today's youth to 
     appreciate and celebrate the majesty of their American 
     citizenship;
       Whereas Mrs. Weissmann Klein's life and work have inspired 
     generations of Americans and countless individuals from 
     around the world; and
       Whereas, on November 17, 2010, President Barack Obama 
     announced that Gerda Weissmann Klein would be awarded the 
     Presidential Medal of Freedom: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates 
     Gerda Weissmann Klein on being selected to receive the 
     Presidential Medal of Freedom.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) each 
will control 20 minutes.

[[Page 19759]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1743, a measure 
congratulating Gerda Weissmann Klein on being selected to receive the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom. House Resolution 1743 was introduced by 
our colleague, the gentleman from Arizona, Representative Harry 
Mitchell, on December 1, 2010. The measure enjoys the support of over 
90 Members of the House.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1939, Mrs. Weissmann Klein was living in Poland at 
the age of 15. Within months of the German invasion of Poland that 
year, she began to lose her family. Her beloved older brother, Arthur, 
was taken away by the Germans, and the remainder of her family was 
forced to live in a ghetto. Later, the Nazis separated her from her 
parents, sending them to Auschwitz.
  Weissmann Klein was forced to spend 3 years in a series of 
concentration and slave labor camps from 1942 to 1945. In 1945, she and 
the other inmates of her camp were sent on a 350-mile death march to 
avoid the advance of Allied forces. When the U.S. Army liberated the 
survivors of the march in Volary, Czechoslovakia on May 7, 1945, she 
was one of fewer than 120 out of 2,000 women to survive.
  After the war, she married Lieutenant Kurt Klein of the U.S. Army, an 
intelligence officer present at the liberation at Volary. She settled 
with Kurt in Buffalo, New York, and had three children. She then spent 
decades telling her story, giving speeches, and writing books offering 
a message of hope drawn from her struggle for survival.
  She and Kurt also got involved in a number of charity efforts. In 
1998, they started the Gerda and Kurt Klein Foundation, a public 
nonprofit foundation which promoted the teaching of tolerance, respect 
for others, and the value of community service. Currently, she is 
focusing her efforts on her new foundation, Citizenship Counts, a 
nonprofit organization that reaches out to middle and high school 
students to promote the appreciation and potential of American 
citizenship and the democratic process.
  For her life of service and promotion of tolerance and understanding 
among all people, President Obama announced that early next year, Gerda 
Weissmann Klein will be one of 15 recipients of the Nation's highest 
civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, let us now pay tribute to Mrs. Weissmann Klein and 
congratulate her on being selected for the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom through the passage of House Resolution 1743. I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1743, congratulating 
Gerda Weissmann Klein on being selected to receive the Presidential 
Medal of Freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, last month, on November 17, Gerda Weissmann Klein was 
informed that she will be receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 
This award is the highest civilian honor that an American can receive, 
and Ms. Klein is very deserving.
  She was born in Poland in 1924, and was taken prisoner when Nazi 
Germany invaded Poland in 1939. After being separated from her parents, 
Ms. Klein spent the next 6 years in concentration camps--6 years.
  In 1945, Ms. Weissmann was forced to walk 350 miles in a death march 
where roughly 2,000 women were subjected to starvation, exposure, and 
arbitrary execution. Ms. Weissmann was one of less than 120 women who 
miraculously survived the death march and were liberated by the United 
States forces in Czechoslovakia.
  One of the U.S. soldiers who was there to liberate the women was 
Lieutenant Kurt Klein. Klein and Ms. Weissmann soon fell in love and 
were later married.
  Since moving to America after the war, Mrs. Weissmann Klein has 
worked tirelessly to promote Holocaust education and remembrance, teach 
tolerance, and combat hunger. She has written multiple books about her 
experience as a Holocaust survivor, and, to this day, she works to 
promote tolerance and educate people about the horrors of the 
Holocaust.
  It is with great honor I commend her on being selected to receive 
this award and thank her for the work she has done.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the sponsor 
of this resolution, Representative Harry Mitchell from Arizona.
  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1743, 
as amended, a resolution congratulating Gerda Weissmann Klein on 
receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  Mrs. Weissmann Klein's story is remarkable and represents so much of 
what is so great about America. She was born in Bielsko, Poland in 
1924. She was just 15 years old when Germany invaded her homeland in 
1939, and the world she knew changed forever. Her brother, Arthur, was 
taken by the Nazis. Her parents were sent to death camps in Auschwitz. 
For 3 years, Gerda was forced to endure a succession of slave labor and 
concentration camps.
  In 1945, Gerda was one of 2,000 women forced by Nazis to walk a 350-
mile death march, during which women were subjected to starvation, 
exposure, and arbitrary execution. The death march finally ended in 
Volary, Czechoslovakia, when the survivors were liberated by the United 
States Army. Gerda was one of fewer than 120 women who survived.
  One of the American Army officers who helped liberate Gerda that day 
was a German-born Lieutenant named Kurt Klein, whose parents had been 
murdered at Auschwitz. Gerda and Kurt fell in love, got married, and 
moved to the United States and started a family.
  Once here, Gerda and Kurt worked diligently to promote Holocaust 
education and remembrance. They taught tolerance and worked to combat 
hunger.
  Gerda became a United States citizen, a privilege for which she has 
devoted her life's work as gratitude. She founded Citizenship Counts, a 
nonprofit organization that teaches our youth to appreciate and 
celebrate the majesty of their American citizenship.
  In 1957, Gerda's first book, ``All But My Life,'' was published. It 
chronicles her courageous struggle for survival during the Holocaust. 
In 1996, ``One Survivor Remembers,'' a documentary about her 
experiences during the Holocaust, won an Academy Award.
  Gerda Weissman Klein's life and work have inspired generations of 
Americans and countless individuals around the world.
  Last month, President Barack Obama announced that Gerda Weissmann 
Klein would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the 
highest civilian honor that can be bestowed, and it is well deserved.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, as amended.
  Before I yield, I want to thank Representative Jean Schmidt for 
partnering with me on this resolution. I also want to thank Chairman 
Towns and Ranking Member Issa, as well as both the majority and 
minority member staffs, for helping bring this resolution to the floor.

                              {time}  1520

  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I have been very critical of a lot of 
resolutions that have come to the floor recognizing things like the 
Hollywood Walk of Fame. But there are certain people, certain things 
that rise to a level of excellence that are so extraordinary that they 
deserve the recognition of this Nation and of this body, and I find 
that this fits that category. So it is my honor to join in strong 
support of this resolution and urge my colleagues to vote for it.

[[Page 19760]]


  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1743. 
I was honored to join with Congressman Mitchell  to introduce this 
Resolution which congratulates Gerda Weissmann Klein on being selected 
to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  Mrs. Weissmann Klein was born in 1924 in Bielsko, Poland. She is a 
Holocaust survivor and an amazing person with a truly inspirational 
story.
  When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, her family was forced to live in 
a ghetto. She was separated from her family and spent 3 years in slave-
labor and concentration camps. In 1945, she was forced to walk a 350-
mile death march that ended in Volary, Czechoslovakia. Out of 2,000 
women, less than 120 survived.
  A true love story, she met her future husband, German-born U.S. Army 
Lieutenant Kurt Klein, amongst the liberators in Volary. They married, 
moved to the United States, and started a family.
  Mrs. Weissmann Klein has led a dignified life in the United States. 
She is dedicated to her family and to educating others about many 
things, including the Holocaust and the importance of citizenship.
  She is the author of five books. Among them is one the best 
biographies I have ever read, All But My Lift, which recounts her 
experiences before and after the Holocaust. The award winning 
documentary, One Survivor Remembers, is based upon All But My Life and 
won an Emmy Award and the Academy Award for documentary short subject.
  The glass is always half full with Mrs. Weissmann Klein. She has 
personally witnessed the very worst of humanity, yet she rises above it 
to promote courage, compassion, forgiveness, and the meaning of 
freedom.
  I was fortunate to meet Mrs. Weissmann Klein when she was in Ohio to 
speak with a school group. She has spoken with many students throughout 
the country, including those in my own Congressional District in 
Southwest Ohio.
  Mrs. Weissmann Klein will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom 
in early 2011. I hope that all our colleagues in the House will join us 
in congratulating her on this well-deserved honor.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1743, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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