President Joe Biden recently signed into law a bipartisan, bicameral bill supported by U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) that will grant the Congressional Gold Medal to 60 diplomats from around the world who, through various means, saved the lives of Jews fleeing Nazi persecution during World War II.
“The Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act has been signed by the President of the United States!” Rep. Salazar said on Monday. “By recognizing these diplomats for their heroism in World War II, the United States is not only remembering their bravery but is also sending the message to our Jewish community and future generations that we must always stand against oppression.”
The president on Dec. 12 enacted the Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act, S. 91, into law after the U.S. Senate passed the bill on Sept. 25, and the U.S. House of Representatives approved it on Dec. 4. S. 91, which U.S. Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced in January 2023, is the identical bill to H.R. 537, which Rep. Salazar simultaneously sponsored alongside U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY). Her bill gained a total of 295 cosponsors, while the Senate version had 72 cosponsors.
The bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to 60 diplomats posthumously in recognition of their brave and vital service of saving Jews during World War II. The single gold medal shall be presented collectively to the eldest next of kin of each of the 60 diplomats and then be given to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.