New Bill Proposes to Honor Americans Who Saved Jews During the Holocaust

by Mindy Cohn

A new bill was introduced on Tuesday, which, if passed, will award a collective Congressional Gold Medal to Americans who aided and rescued Jews and other refugees during the Holocaust.

The legislation was introduced by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Judy Chu (California-28), Steve Cohen (Tennessee-9), Kim Schrier (Washington-8), and Jamie Raskin (Maryland-8). It was endorsed by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Pave the Way Foundation and The Institute for the Study of Rescue and Altruism in the Holocaust.

The list of those who would be honored includes former First Lady of the U.S. Eleanor Roosevelt; former US Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes; former US Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr.; and Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. of Maryland, Nancy Pelosi's father.