Measure to Investigate How War Criminals Were Allowed into the U.S. Introduced in Congress

Legislation to investigate how Nazi criminals were allowed into the United States has been introduced in Congress.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D. Mass.), would establish a seven-member Commission selected by Congress and the President which would enjoy special subpoena powers giving it access to evidence and testimony from the various intelligence agencies. The commission would issue a report on its findings of smuggling of Nazis by U.S. intelligence agents and recommendations.

“For far too long we have been trying to get answers to well documented allegations that the U.S. government in some cases assisted Nazis and their collaborators to enter the United States,” Frank said.

Frank, who first introduced the bill in November 1985, told the JTA that some Congressmen opposed the bill because of concern about embarrassing findings. He hopes this year the bill enjoys the strong support of Rep. Peter Rodino (D. NJ), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. The bill is also co-sponsored by Rep. Stephen Solarz (D. NY).

Rodino said a “committee with full subpoena powers is essential if we are to get to the bottom of the government’s policy of quietly admitting and protecting Nazis and their collaborators. We still do not have a full picture of the extent of that involvement. Americans need to know the full truth of this episode in our particular history.”

Frank proposed legislation after the completion of a second General Accounting Office (GAO) report on the subject which concluded that there was “no evidence of a broad program to recruit former Nazis for intelligence.” Frank, Brooklyn District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman and Jewish leaders attacked the report, the second produced within seven years, for being misleading and inconclusive.