Congress considers funding Holocaust education

Both houses of Congress are considering bipartisan legislation to offer federal funds for Holocaust studies in schools. The Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Act was introduced Thursday in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.); cosponsoring it were Sens. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). The bill already had been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.). “The Holocaust occurred a few short decades ago, yet there are some who deny its very existence,” Menendez said in a statement. “Teaching our children about this blight on human history will both honor the memory of those who perished and inspire future generations to fight against similar tragedies. I appreciate Rep. Maloney’s leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to join us in making this legislation a reality.”