Rep. Chu, Senator Schiff, and House Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Honor Americans Who Rescued Holocaust Refugees

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Judy Chu (CA-28) and Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), as well as Reps. Cohen (D-TN), Gottheimer (D-NJ), Raskin (D-MD), Schrier (D-WA), and Suozzi (D-NY), are introducing 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 will be displayed at the U.S. Holocaust Museum.

Among those recognized include the War Refugee Board, who were 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, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, and Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., of Maryland, the father of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.

“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. 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,” said Sen. Schiff.  

“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. 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,” said Rep. Cohen. 

“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.”

Background: The resolution awards hundreds of Americans and relief organizations who were responsible for saving thousands of Jewish refugees and others during the Holocaust. 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: Reps. Bonamici (D-OR), Carbajal (D-CA), Friedman (D-CA), Goldman (D-NY), Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Jacobs (D-CA), Landsman (D-OH), Lee (D-PA), Levin (D-CA), Moskowitz (D-FL), Sherman (D-CA), Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). 

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.