Washington, D.C.—Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Judy Chu (CA-28), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Kim Schrier (WA-08) and Tom Suozzi (NY-03) introduced legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Americans who were active in rescuing and aiding Jewish refugees and others during the Holocaust. The Medal would be displayed at the U.S. Holocaust Museum.
Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
Among those recognized are the Americans involved in the War Refugee Board, which was responsible for saving the lives of 200,000 Jewish refugees and 20,000 non-Jews, as well as Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States; Henry Morgenthau, Jr., former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; Harold Ickes, of Sandy Spring, Maryland, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior; and Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., of Baltimore, Maryland, the father of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.
“During the Holocaust, anti-fascist Americans stepped up to rescue thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi mass murder,” said Rep. Raskin. “With antisemitism and authoritarianism on the rise globally, we must remember undaunted American activists who fought for safety and human rights for persecuted and scapegoated people. I am proud to join my colleagues to push for a Congressional Gold Medal to honor American heroes who helped save lives at great personal risk.”
“I’m so proud to reintroduce this legislation with Senator Schiff and my Democratic colleagues to award a congressional gold medal to Americans who rescued Jews and other refugees facing near certain death during the Holocaust,” said Rep. Chu. “These heroes risked their own lives to save others and, in doing so, exemplified what it means to fight for a more just and more equal world. As we continue to face rising antisemitism, bigotry, and authoritarianism in our country and worldwide, our bill represents our unyielding commitment to ensuring the lessons of the past are never forgotten.”
“It is more important than ever to commemorate the efforts of hundreds of individual Americans and the many organizations that aided and rescued European Jews and others facing Nazi persecution during the Holocaust,” said Sen. Schiff. “We commemorate the courage and sacrifice of these hundreds of Americans who saved thousands of lives – sometimes at grave personal risk and with U.S. public opposition at the time toward resettling Jewish refugees.”
“The individuals and organizations who risked everything to rescue tens of thousands of Jews from near-certain death during the Holocaust are true heroes,” said Rep. Suozzi. “I am proud to help lead this effort to honor their tremendous courage with a Congressional Gold Medal. In a new era of rising antisemitism, their legacies inspire us to do everything in our power to stand up to this vicious hate wherever it arises.”
“It is right for Congress to honor those who rescued countless Jews and other refugees during the Holocaust,” said Rep. Cohen. “Awarding Congressional Gold Medals to individuals and groups responsible for saving tens of thousands of lives is a well-deserved honor and is long overdue.”
In 1939, Congress rejected proposals to offer asylum to 20,000 Jewish children. In the same year, the United States refused asylum to Jewish refugees aboard the S.S. St. Louis, who were forced to return to Europe, and 254 of whom died in the Holocaust.
This bill is cosponsored by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.-AL), Sara Jacobs (CA-53), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Mike Levin (CA-49), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Brad Sherman (CA-32) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23).
The bill is endorsed by The Institute for the Study of Rescue and Altruism in the Holocaust.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
###