Washington, D.C. ?" A resolution authored by Congressman Ron Klein (FL-22) to hold a Holocaust Remembrance ceremony in the Rotunda of the Capitol was passed by the U.S. House today. The bipartisan Holocaust Memorial Rotunda Resolution establishes that Congress will lead an annual ceremony to commemorate the Holocaust, mourn those who perished and recognize those who sacrificed so much for freedom in the world.

Congressman Klein is a co-chairman of the Congressional Taskforce Against Anti-Semitism and a newly appointed board member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

"All my life, I have felt moved to spread the message of 'Never Again,'" Klein said. "We must continue to honor all those who lost their lives, as well as those who survived the Holocaust. This ceremony in April, and every year after, will be both a moving tribute and educational experience. It will remind us of the horrible tragedy of the Holocaust, but also of the heroism and sacrifice individuals made to fight for freedom. Most importantly, it will serve as yet another lesson that we cannot tolerate acts of anti-Semitism and intolerance, whenever they may occur."

This year's ceremony, with the theme "Stories of Freedom: What You Do Matters," will celebrate the heroism of those who liberated the Nazi concentration camps. It will highlight the experiences of Allied soldiers who risked their lives for the cause of freedom and changed the lives of the survivors and course of history.
 
The resolution received bipartisan support. Co-sponsors including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Congressman Steven LaTourette (R-OH), Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA) worked closely with Congressman Klein on the resolution.
 
As a leader committed to speaking out against anti-Semitism and promoting education on these issues, Congressman Klein worked Congressman Mike Pence, a co-chairman of the Congressional Taskforce Against Anti-Semitism, to organize an annual visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for members of Congress and their families.  This is a unique form of Holocaust education, where the museum serves as a teaching tool to educate U.S. representatives who have not been to the museum before about how the Holocaust is relevant to their lives and the lives of their constituents.
 
During his service in the Florida legislature, Congressman Klein helped pass the Florida Holocaust Education Act. This legislation mandates Holocaust education in public schools so that students from all walks of life can learn lessons of the Holocaust, demonstrating once again his decades-long committing to this cause.