WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and co-chair of the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, today issued the following statement marking Holocaust Remembrance Day:

"On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we reflect on one of the greatest human tragedies in history. We honor the memories of the more than 11 million people whose lives were taken in the Holocaust—six million of whom were Jews.

"Anti-Semitism—a hatred that has burned for centuries—has again sadly gained strength in recent years.  In our own country, we've witnessed crowds marching through the streets, shouting hateful chants and carrying Swastika-emblazoned posters. Throughout Europe, a horrifying resurgence of openly anti-Semitic parties and rhetoric has crept into the political landscape. An alarming ‘whitewashing’ of the Holocaust, with cities shamelessly honoring Nazi collaborators, has become more and more common. In Poland, legislation has passed that would censor open discussion of the history of the Holocaust. In France, the brutal, senseless murder of Mireille Knoll, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor, reminds us of the ugly violence that has always been a part of this sort of bigotry.

"We must never forget the pain of the Holocaust. The United States, the global community, and each and every individual must remain dedicated to fighting the intolerance and hatred that led to that darkest time in history. We must join together to make sure that evil, sinister era of history stays in our past, and to build a future of greater tolerance and justice."

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