Recognizing and honoring America's Jewish community on the occasion of its 350th anniversary, supporting the designation of an "American Jewish History Month", and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 106, to recognize the American Jewish community on the occasion of its 350th anniversary and to support the designation of American Jewish History Month.

No community in modern history has suffered more under tyranny and oppression and has been forced to fight harder throughout its history to secure the most basic rights we enjoy today in America, rights many of us sometimes take for granted in this great country of ours.

That is, in part, why we in America can boast that we are home to the largest Jewish population in the world. The history of the Jewish people is deeply entwined with the spirit and heart of America, and their struggle has been ours for the past 300 years.

I have the profound honor of representing the largest Jewish population in Texas in District 25. I can tell you that this is a proud community that loves this country and loves the freedoms that so many of our forefathers have died side-by-side to protect. These Americans are the survivors of the greatest crime humanity has ever seen, and they are the living legacy to what it means to sacrifice in the name of freedom and liberty. Their celebrated lives are living, walking proof of why those difficult sacrifices are worth making.

We as a Nation would not be complete, we would not be the America we all know today, without the incredible contributions and sacrifices made by the Jewish people, both here in America and in the world abroad.

The greatest lesson I think we can learn from the Jewish community is this: After thousands of years of persecution and torture, after encampment and extermination, after being spread to the four corners of the wind by forces that would undo almost any other community, they thrive today. Why?

Well, the long and painful, but proud history of the Jewish people, here and abroad, should show all of us that becoming a great people is not about defining geographical boundaries. Rather, it is a connection of spirit, founded on common ideals and beliefs that creates great societies. For us in America and for our Jewish friends, both here and abroad, those ideals are freedom, liberty, and respect for our fellow man. These are the ties that bind all of us together, and these are the ties that should show our common enemies, those that would try to destroy all of us, that they will never, ever succeed.

So I rise in support of this resolution, and would ask my colleagues to support it as well.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my friends from Ohio (Mr. Chabot and Mr. Portman) in strongly supporting House Concurrent Resolution 106, which recognizes and honors America's Jewish community on the occasion of its 350th anniversary and supports the designation of ``American Jewish History Month.''

Ever since Jewish refugees from Brazil landed on our shores in 1654 and established the first Jewish community in what is now New York City, American Jews have made immeasurable contributions to our Nation's civic, social, economic and cultural life.

And this resolution is a long overdue and explicit recognition by this Congress of those contributions.

Throughout history, few people have endured greater intolerance and hardship.

As Thomas Jefferson once wrote: ``I can only offer my regret . . . at seeing a sect [the Jews], the parent and basis of all of Christendom, singled out for persecution and oppression.''

And yet, in America, the Jewish community has overcome, persevered and thrived--in science and medicine, in literature and the arts, in law and education, in business and public service, and in a host of other occupations and professions.

Further, America's Jews have always answered freedom's call, valiantly fighting in every one of our Nation's military engagements, from the American Revolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom. And 16 American Jews have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

``The Jewish Faith,'' remarked President Coolidge, ``is predominantly the faith of liberty.''

And so this proud tradition of a proud member of the American family continues today.

All of us are the benefactors of the American Jewish Community's unswerving adherence to and work on behalf of freedom, tolerance, and basic human rights.

And thus, it's only fitting, Mr. Speaker, that this Congress recognize the enormous contributions of America's Jewish Community to our Nation and support the designation of ``American Jewish History Month.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 106, a resolution to recognize and honor the American Jewish community. And I certainly would like to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) for his sponsorship of this concurrent resolution.

Some 350 years ago, the first Jewish refugees arrived here in our country, settling in what is now known as New York City. This marked the beginnings of evolution of the American Jewish community, a community that has grown and flourished, one we all know and indeed should formally acknowledge, that has contributed tremendously to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, history has not been kind to the Jewish people. We are all well aware of the atrocities they suffered during the Holocaust. Jews throughout the past have had their freedoms restricted, being forced to live separated in their own communities with limited geographic and limited economic opportunities. Yet despite all are the hardships and obstacles faced, the Jewish community in America has developed into a successful society.

The success of the American Jewish community is testament to the value of the basic American right to freedom. In America Jews can live anywhere, stand up for their own rights, and have the freedom to determine their own destinies. Today the United States has the largest Jewish population and one that has contributed greatly to our country's civic, social, economic, and cultural life. Jewish community members have served in our Armed Forces, have held Nobel prizes, become members of the Supreme Court, Senators and Members of Congress, and have even served as members of the cabinet of the President. Most importantly, they have set an example for all Americans who believe in justice and equal treatment under the law. We even now have two candidates of Jewish ancestry who are running for the highest office of our country, that of the Presidency of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, this year is the year 5763 according to the Jewish calendar, and we have 237 years left before the end of the world. I say that humorously, Mr. Speaker. Highlighting the successes of American Jews and educating the community about our American Jewish history will prove to be of great value to the United States at large.

I stand here today to urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

I also want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), who is the chief cosponsor of this concurrent resolution, and we introduced it on March 20 of this year, recognizing the 350th anniversary of Jewish communal life here in North America and encouraging all Americans to celebrate September, 2004, as American Jewish History Month in recognition of the occasion. An identical resolution was introduced in the other body by Senator Voinovich and Senator DeWine.

Since 1654 when Jewish refugees from Brazil established America's first Jewish community in what is now New York City, millions of Jewish immigrants have come to America and have helped shape our American culture. House Concurrent Resolution 106 recognizes the many contributions of the American Jewish community to this great Nation's civic, social, economic, and cultural life. The resolution also notes that American Jews have fought valiantly for the United States in every one of our Nation's military struggles, from the American Revolution to Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, the American Jewish Historical Society, and the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives have formed the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History to mark this historic milestone. The commission is designating September, 2004, as American Jewish History Month. This resolution commends the commission for its efforts and supports the designation of an American Jewish History Month.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 106 urges all Americans to share in this commemoration so as to have a greater appreciation of the role of the American Jewish community in helping to defend and further the liberties and freedoms of all Americans.

I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) and the Committee on Government Reform and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) for bringing this resolution to the floor, and I again want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the 69 cosponsors of this resolution.

I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Cleveland for managing this legislation and for his support. I also want to congratulate the gentleman from Cincinnati, Ohio (Mr. Chabot), my colleague and neighbor, for his work on this project.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today very proudly in strong support of the resolution recognizing and honoring the Jewish community on the occasion of its 350th anniversary, supporting the designation of an American Jewish History Month and recognizing and honoring the many contributions of America's Jewish community.

The year 2004 will mark the 350th anniversary of Jewish refugees landing on North American shores and establishing North America's first Jewish community in New Amsterdam, now called New York City. Today, America's Jewish population stands at about 7 million people.

During 2004 and 2005, these 350 years of Jewish life in America will be commemorated, honored, and celebrated, and so will Jewish immigration. After all, Jewish immigration to America throughout the last 350 years has brought with it legions of notable scientists, lawyers, statesmen, inventors, artists, authors, musicians, doctors, ethicists, entrepreneurs, and spiritual leaders, men and women who substantially transformed our great Nation and so many of our communities.

I, of course, have seen firsthand in my hometown of Cincinnati the strong and powerful positive influence of the Jewish community and Cincinnati also happens to be home to a number of our country's most important Jewish institutions. These include the American Jewish Archives, which has dedicated itself to assembling an extensive collection of documents to chronicle American Jewish history, and the Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, established in 1875, a pillar to the American Reform Jewish movement.

Mr. Speaker, I am strongly in support of this resolution because I believe passage of it will foster awareness and will help facilitate understanding. I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

American Jewish history commenced in 1492 with the expulsion of Jews from Spain. This action set off a period of intense Jewish migration. Seeking to escape the clutches of the Inquisition, some Jews in the 16th century sought refuge in the young Calvinist republic of the Netherlands. A century later hundreds of their descendants crossed the ocean to settle in the new Dutch colony of Recife in Brazil, where Jewish communal life became possible for the first time in the New World. When Portugal recaptured this colony in 1654, its Jews scattered to the Dutch port of New Amsterdam, now New York City.

Colonial Jews never exceeded \1/10\ of 1 percent of the American population; yet they established the patterns of Jewish communal life that persisted for generations. Jews lived in cosmopolitan cities like New York where there were opportunities for commerce and trade and organized synagogue communities. Charleston, Philadelphia, New York, and Newport each had one synagogue that assumed responsibility for the religious and communal needs of all local Jews. Early Jewish Americans explored, wrote poetry, and created industries. Jews have continued to make important contributions to the history and culture of America. During 2004 and 2005, 350 years of Jewish life in America will be commemorated, honored, and celebrated. Jewish immigration to America throughout the last 350 years brought with it legions of notable researchers, lawyers, statesmen, inventors, artists, authors, musicians, doctors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and Members of Congress.

This resolution honors the life, culture, and contributions of the 6.5 million Jews who live in America and those who came before them. I join the sponsors in supporting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).