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Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5), a member of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, provided the following statement commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day:

“Today marks 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most notorious concentration camp where 1.3 million people were sent after being ripped away from their homes and more than 1 million people were murdered between 1940 and 1945. No matter how many years go by, we must never forget how hatred and anti-Semitism resulted in the brutal genocide of 6 million Jews and millions of others during World War II.

“Mass killings of all kind, especially those targeting specific religions or races, are beyond human comprehension and humanity should never let them be forgotten. Even still, we continue to see hate and violence through anti-Semitic acts in our communities. I hope today we can all pledge to remember the brutal realities of what anti-Semitism looks like, the severe impact these realities had on our country and our world, and how we can work to ensure this never happens again.”

Congressman Latta has cosponsored a number of pieces of legislation this Congress combating anti-Semitism, including:

• H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act: This bill would make it easier for all Americans to learn about the Holocaust and the impact of anti-Semitism because it authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to eligible entities to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.
  
  
• H.R. 221, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act: This bill passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly last year. It would upgrade the Special Envoy position within the State Department, raising it to the rank of ambassador and making it the primary advisor to the U.S. government on combating anti-Semitism.