House passes bill to support Holocaust education

Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The House overwhelming passed a bipartisan bill on International Holocaust Remembrance Day to increase support and spending on education to raise awareness of the Holocaust and to curb anti-Semitism.

The Never Again Education Act passed the House 393-5 on Monday in favor of allocating $10 million over five years to expand the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's education programming for teachers to improve awareness about the Holocaust.

If implemented, it would require the Washington museum to develop and disseminate accurate, relevant and accessible resources to teachers nationwide, to expand upon a website where teachers can access curriculum material and to support the expansion of its professional development programs.

"As we recommit ourselves to the promise of 'Never Again' on this 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, I am reminded that the lessons of the Holocaust do not just apply to anti-Semitism but to all forms of hate and bigotry and I can think of no better way to honor the memories of those murdered than to make sure our students know their names and their stories," said Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who sponsored the bill. "If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. I urge the Senate to act quickly on this bill."

Co-sponsor Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said with the passing of this bill they are preparing future generations to stand up to anti-Semitism and recognize that the Holocaust must never be forgotten.

"As we continue to condemn horrific acts of anti-Semitism across the world, we must also take proactive measures to educate and provide states and schools with the resources necessary to incorporate Holocaust education into their classrooms, ensuring that all students understand the evils of Holocaust and its impact," Stefanik said.

The vote was held on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that commemorates the deaths of some 6 million Jewish people who were killed by Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

The bill also comes amid a recent uptick in violence targeting Jewish people in the United States. Early this month, police charged a man with hate crime and attempted murder offenses for injuring an Orthodox Jewish man and four other people in a machete attack during a Hanukkah celebration in New York.