Two Pennsylvania Congressmen Introduce Legislation Supporting Nationwide Holocaust Education
U.S. Rep. Brendan F. Boyle, a Democrat representing Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District, and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican representing Pennsylvania’s 8th, were among four legislators introducing a resolution supporting Holocaust education across the United States.
The bipartisan resolution expresses “congressional support for states that require Holocaust awareness curricula, and hope that more states adopt legislation similar to that which has been enacted or introduced in a number of states, including Pennsylvania and Florida,” according to a news release from Boyle.
“Currently, eight states require public schools to develop curricula that include education on the atrocities of the Holocaust. The lawmakers believe that all states nationwide should follow this example and educate American children about the Holocaust, so that younger generations learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, the hatred that led to it, and how to avoid its repetition,” the release said.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican, and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, a Democrat, are the Florida representatives introducing the resolution with Boyle and Fitzpatrick.
Anti-Human Trafficking Bill Passes Pennsylvania Senate
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 554, which is designed to prevent human trafficking, unanimously passed the state Senate on April 25.
Sponsored by state Sen. Daylin Leach, a Democrat, the bill “makes a minor suspected of prostitution immune from prosecution, protects the minor from related penalties, and requires that law enforcement authorities treat the minor as a sexually exploited child.”
“There is no such thing as a child prostitute,” Leach said. “There are only victims and survivors of child rape.”
The bill now goes before the state House of Representatives. If the bill passes there, it goes to Gov. Tom Wolf for his approval.
Jefferson Health, National Jewish Health Announce Creation of Respiratory Institute
Jefferson Health and National Jewish Health of Denver announced April 27 an agreement to create the Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute in Philadelphia.
The institute, which will be financially supported by the Jane and Leonard Korman Family Foundation, is likely to open this summer, with other facilities expected across Jefferson’s regional locations.
The collaboration between Jefferson Health and National Jewish Health “will define best practices for treatment and research of pulmonary and related diseases including COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease, sarcoidosis and infectious respiratory diseases,” according to a news release.
The institute will be integrated with a respiratory institute that National Jewish Health and Mount Sinai Health System in New York established in 2014, the release said.
Mayor Jim Kenney Honored by HIAS Pennsylvania
HIAS Pennsylvania honored Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney on April 19 for his support of immigrant and refugee committees.
Kenney was honored at HIAS Pennsylvania’s annual Golden Door Awards. The organization noted that Kenney named Phila-delphia a “Fourth Amendment City” and has said he would keep the city’s residents protected against unwarranted searches and seizures.
HIAS Pennsylvania also recognized Sandra Wolf and Jazmin Sosa. Wolf is executive director of Drexel Medicine’s Women’s Care Center and has provided care for women seeking asylum in Philadelphia. Sosa is an immigration specialist at Sachs Law Group, LLC.
