Statement Recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Wasserman Schultz made the following statement recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and in honor of our nation’s Holocaust survivors:

“Today, people around the world come together to honor the solemn memory of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of Nazi Germany. The horrors perpetrated on the Jewish population of Europe and so many millions of other innocent victims are seared in our history as some of the most heinous atrocities of all time. However, this is not merely a day to remember the past, but an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the memories of the victims and the strength of all who survived these atrocities. Today, as every day, we must make sure that the world never forgets.

“Recently, I introduced HR 2786, the Holocaust Survivors Assistance Act, which will provide our nation’s aging survivor population with the assistance that they need to age in place with dignity, comfort, and security. To do so, this legislation helps Holocaust survivors get the support they need for programs like home modifications, nutrition services, mental health counseling, and transportation. This bill also designates an individual within the Administration on Aging to have responsibility for the activities of Holocaust survivors, and it creates a grant program for transportation innovations for this community. Though we cannot even begin to redress the violence of the past, it is our moral responsibility in the spirit of tikkun olam – to repair the world – to do all we can for these brave survivors to find peace.

“As the population of survivors continues to age here in the United States, in Israel, and everywhere around the world, we must honor their struggles and all they have overcome during their lives. Days such as this serve as a powerful reminder of the deadly consequences of intolerance. They demonstrate the importance of speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Today, like every day, it is imperative that we unite to honor the memories of the victims and work together to create a more just and peaceful world. Only then will we be able to say with certainty that we have upheld our promise: ‘Never again.’”