02/26/1998 03:35 PM Senate STA

Number 352                                                                     
                                                                               
            SR   1 - SWISS COMP OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS                         
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN brought SR 1 before the committee as the next order             
of business.                                                                   
                                                                               
SENATOR DAVE DONLEY, prime sponsor of SR 1, explained the                      
resolution is in support of the current effort being made by other             
states and the U.S. government to encourage Switzerland and the                
Swiss banking industry to continue to cooperate with the families              
and survivors of the Holocaust in identifying their assets that                
were held in Swiss banks during that tragic episode in history.                
                                                                               
Senator Donley said his office has been working with the World                 
Jewish Restitution Organization which is an international                      
organization formed in 1993 by Jewish organizations from 80                    
countries internationally to facilitate this effort.  He noted the             
Swiss have begun to cooperate, and in January of this year, the                
World Jewish Congress adopted the position of asking people to take            
the course of action as is presented in SR 1.                                  
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN asked if "The Holocaust Victims Redress Act" has                
been passed by both bodies of Congress and signed into law, and it             
was acknowledged that it has.                                                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
SENATOR MILLER expressed his wholehearted support for SR 1.  He                
noted, however, that there are still some people living in the                 
Fairbanks area who believe that the Holocaust never happened.                  
                                                                               
There being no further testimony or questions on SR 1, CHAIRMAN                
GREEN asked for the pleasure of the committee.                                 
                                                                               
SENATOR MACKIE moved SR 1 be passed out of committee with                      
individual recommendations.  Hearing no objection, it was so                   
ordered.