A resolution honoring the legacy and accomplishments of Jan Karski on the centennial of his birth.

Bill: 113-sres-371
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2014-03-05
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays

Conflicts and wars

Congressional tributes

Europe

Poland

War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
Latest action: action_date: 2014-04-01
text: Resolution agreed to in Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-03-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Designates April 24, 2014, as Jan Karski Day. </p> <p>Recognizes the life and legacy of Dr. Jan Karski, and expresses the Senate's gratitude for his efforts alerting the free world about the atrocities committed by Nazi and totalitarian forces in occupied Poland during World War II. </p> <p>Applauds the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski and reaffirms the importance of the U.S.-Poland relationship.</p>

action_date: 2014-04-01
action_desc: Passed Senate amended
text: <p>Recognizes the life and legacy of Dr. Jan Karski on the centennial of his birth, and expresses the Senate's gratitude for his efforts alerting the free world about the atrocities committed by Nazi and totalitarian forces in occupied Poland during World War II. </p> <p>Applauds the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski for his efforts during World War II and reaffirms the importance of the U.S.-Poland relationship.</p>

tv_txt: III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 371 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 5, 2014 Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Kirk , and Mr. Durbin ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Honoring the legacy of Jan Karski by designating April 24, 2014, as Jan Karski Day .

Whereas Jan Karski was born on April 24, 1914, in Lodz, Poland; Whereas Jan Karski managed to escape the Soviet massacre in the Katyn Forest in 1940, in which almost 22,000 Polish citizens lost their lives; Whereas Jan Karski became a key emissary in the Polish underground resistance, the Home Army, against Nazi occupation; Whereas Jan Karski risked his own life after escaping a prisoner-of-war camp, having endured Gestapo torture, to continue to act as an emissary for the Polish Underground, in order to provide critical intelligence to the Allied war effort and alert Allied governments about the Holocaust and the dire situation on the ground in German-occupied Poland; Whereas Jan Karski traveled to Allied capitals and provided critical eyewitness testimony about the horrors of Hitler’s Final Solution and the extermination of Jews and others in Nazi-occupied Poland to British Foreign Minister Anthony Eden and United States President Franklin Roosevelt; Whereas Jan Karski, after living through the atrocities of World War II, went on to earn a Ph.D. from Georgetown University in 1952; Whereas Jan Karski became a United States citizen and taught generations of students of foreign policy at Georgetown University for 40 years, dedicating the rest of his life to strengthening the idea of tolerance and respect for different religions and cultures and ensuring that the full extent of the Nazi atrocities are never forgotten; and Whereas Jan Karski was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously on May 29, 2012, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) designates April 24, 2014, as Jan Karski Day ; (2) recognizes the life and legacy of Dr. Jan Karski, and expresses its gratitude for his efforts alerting the free world about the atrocities committed by Nazi and totalitarian forces in occupied Poland during World War II; and (3) applauds the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski for his efforts during World War II and reaffirms the importance of the United States-Poland bilateral relationship.

tv_txt: III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 371 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 5, 2014 Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Kirk , and Mr. Durbin ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary April 1, 2014 Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended title RESOLUTION Honoring the legacy and accomplishments of Jan Karski on the centennial of his birth.

Whereas Jan Karski was born on April 24, 1914, in Lodz, Poland; Whereas Jan Karski managed to escape the Soviet massacre in the Katyn Forest in 1940, in which almost 22,000 Polish citizens lost their lives; Whereas Jan Karski became a key emissary in the Polish underground resistance, the Home Army, against Nazi occupation; Whereas Jan Karski risked his own life after escaping a prisoner-of-war camp, having endured Gestapo torture, to continue to act as an emissary for the Polish Underground, in order to provide critical intelligence to the Allied war effort and alert Allied governments about the Holocaust and the dire situation on the ground in German-occupied Poland; Whereas Jan Karski traveled to Allied capitals and provided critical eyewitness testimony about the horrors of Hitler’s Final Solution and the extermination of Jews and others in Nazi-occupied Poland to British Foreign Minister Anthony Eden and United States President Franklin Roosevelt; Whereas Jan Karski, after living through the atrocities of World War II, went on to earn a Ph.D. from Georgetown University in 1952; Whereas Jan Karski became a United States citizen and taught generations of students of foreign policy at Georgetown University for 40 years, dedicating the rest of his life to strengthening the idea of tolerance and respect for different religions and cultures and ensuring that the full extent of the Nazi atrocities are never forgotten; and Whereas Jan Karski was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously on May 29, 2012, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) recognizes the life and legacy of Dr. Jan Karski on the centennial of his birth, and expresses its gratitude for his efforts alerting the free world about the atrocities committed by Nazi and totalitarian forces in occupied Poland during World War II; and (2) applauds the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski for his efforts during World War II and reaffirms the importance of the United States-Poland bilateral relationship.