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February 11, 2008 Press Release
Statement by Senator Joe Biden on the Passing of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos
Washington, DC -- Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today, honoring the life of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA): “Tom Lantos was one of my closest friends in life. He and his wife Annette, both survivors of the Holocaust, defined the resilience of the human spirit in a way few words can express. He taught me, as Elie Wiesel said, that 'Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.' “I’ve known Tom and his family for over 30 years. Not only did he honor me by serving as an advisor on the Foreign Relations Committee, but so have his daughter and his grandson. His steadfast commitment to human rights and freedom across the world will live long after today and our nation is stronger for having him be, as he said, 'an American by choice.' “Tom will be missed by an entire generation of Americans who will never fully understand the sacrifices made to remind our world everyday of our humanity. As Shakespeare wrote, 'He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.'
:patriot:
I was heartbroken when I heard the news yesterday.
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