-Creators of War Refugee Board helped save countless lives-

Washington, DC - By a unanimous vote the House today passed H.Res 226, a bill introduced by Petaluma Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, honoring three government officials who played a critical role in the creation of the War Refugee Board, an effort to rescue Jews, and other persecuted minorities at the end of the Holocaust.

“To many, World War II and the Holocaust may seem long, long ago.  For others, however, this is a memory which will be imprinted on their soul forever,” Woolsey said.  “Six million Jews were killed under the brutal and evil reign of Hitler and too many countries turned a blind eye to the ethnic cleansing and genocide.

“During this awful time, courageous men and women stood up and demanded that every person - no matter their ethnic background - be treated justly and humanely.”

The resolution specifically honors the actions of three of the Board’s most central members - Secretary of Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Josiah DuBois, and John Pehle.  Created in January of 1944, the Board worked with diplomats from neutral governments, non-governmental organizations, and resistance groups in Europe to rescue countless lives.  While praising their efforts, Woolsey was quick to warn that current officials must show the same courage in standing up to genocide:

“After the horror of the concentration camps and extermination campaigns were revealed, the world said, ‘never again.’  And yet, we look around the world to see hauntingly similar events occurring, particularly in Darfur,” Woolsey said.  “If we truly wish to honor the memory of the Holocaust victims, we must come together to stand up in the face of bigotry and hatred… where ‘never again’ means never again!”