Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, made the following statement after introducing H.Res. 58 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding unanswered questions into the fate of Raoul Wallenberg. Reps. Ros-Lehtinen and Lowey were joined in introducing this bipartisan resolution by Reps. Pete Roskam (R-IL), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Kay Granger (R-TX). Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
“For over 70 years, the mystery of what really happened to Raoul Wallenberg has haunted the memories of his loved ones, of the countless he saved from the horrors of the Holocaust, and of the many who have fought tirelessly to uncover the truth. We have honored his courage and his humanitarian spirit over the years, and now we have a chance to honor his memory by bringing closure to this tragedy. I want to personally thank Marie Dupuy and Louise von Dardel, nieces of Raoul Wallenberg, for their cooperation and support for this initiative and for continuing the tireless efforts of Raoul’s parents, Maj and Fredrik von Dardel. I also want to thank the many, many researchers and volunteers who have never stopped seeking the truth, particularly Dr. Vadim Birstein and Susanne Berger. It is my most sincere hope that this resolution will help finally resolve one of the most tragic mysteries of the 20th century by bringing it the attention it deserves.“