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'''Tom Lantos''' (b. 1928; d. February 11, 2008) was a Democratic congressman (1980-2008) from [[California]]'s 12th Congressional District based in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco.  He was the only [[Holocaust]] survivor ever to serve in Congress.  He was best known as an outspoken advocate for human rights and an fierce opponent of the Nazis, Communists and Islamofascists.

'''Tom Lantos''' (b. 1928; d. February 11, 2008) was a Democratic congressman (1980-2008) from [[California]]'s 12th Congressional District based in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco.  He was the only [[Holocaust]] survivor ever to serve in Congress.  He was best known as an outspoken advocate for human rights and an fierce opponent of the [[Nazi]]s, [[Communist]]s and [[Islamofascist]]s.

==Career==

==Career==

Lantos was born to a middle class Jewish family in Budapest, [[Hungary]]. He was 16 when Nazi Germany occupied Hungary. He joined the anti-Nazi resistance, and later the anti-Communist student movement. After the Soviets invaded Hungary, he learned that most of his family had died in the Holocaust. He came to the United States on an academic scholarship in 1947.  He earned degrees in economics at the University of Washington and then a PhD in economics from the University of California, Berkeley.  He taught economics at San Francisco State University from 1950 to 1980  

Lantos was born to a middle class [[Jewish]] family in [[Budapest]], [[Hungary]]. He was 16 when Nazi Germany occupied Hungary. He joined the anti-Nazi resistance, and later the anti-Communist student movement. After the Soviets invaded Hungary, he learned that most of his family had died in the Holocaust. He came to the United States on an academic scholarship in 1947.  He earned degrees in economics at the University of Washington and then a PhD in economics from the University of California, Berkeley.  He taught economics at San Francisco State University from 1950 to 1980  

 

==Domestic issues==

==Domestic issues==

Lantos was a strong liberal on domestic issues, with a 91% rating from the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] for 2005–2006; a 100% rating from the [[AFL-CIO]] for 2006; a 0% rating from the [[Family Research Council]] for 2006; a 100% rating from [[NARAL]]/Pro-Choice America for 2006; and an F from the [[National Rifle Association]] for 2006.

Lantos was a strong [[liberal]] on domestic issues, with a 91% rating from the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] for 2005–2006; a 100% rating from the [[AFL-CIO]] for 2006; a 0% rating from the [[Family Research Council]] for 2006; a 100% rating from [[NARAL]]/Pro-Choice America for 2006; and an F from the [[National Rifle Association]] for 2006.

==Foreign policy==

==Foreign policy==

In foreign policy he was a leader in Congress and an especially strong opponent of Communism. He founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1983. He used the Caucus to publicize the plight of individual Soviet Jews, Pentecostals and dissidents targeted by the Soviet regime. Many were released.  Through the Caucus, Lantos brought major concerns before the public, including killings in Darfur and the Congo. He demanded that internet companies like Yahoo! and Google be accountable for their complicity in censorship and political persecution in China. Lantos publicized abuses against Tibetans, the Kurds, the Burmese, and the Uighurs. He was a strong enemy of anti-Semitism and persecution of religious minorities, and also of abuses against gays and lesbians.<ref>[http://jeffweintraub.blogspot.com/2008/02/congressman-tom-lantos-champion-of.html Jeff Weintraub, "Congressman Tom Lantos, champion of human rights and human decency, dies at 80," (Feb. 17, 2008) online]  </ref>

In foreign policy he was a leader in Congress and an especially strong opponent of Communism. He founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1983. He used the Caucus to publicize the plight of individual Soviet Jews, Pentecostals and dissidents targeted by the Soviet regime. Many were released.  Through the Caucus, Lantos brought major concerns before the public, including killings in Darfur and the Congo. He demanded that internet companies like Yahoo! and Google be accountable for their complicity in censorship and political persecution in China. Lantos publicized abuses against Tibetans, the Kurds, the Burmese, and the Uighurs. He was a strong enemy of anti-Semitism and persecution of religious minorities, and also of abuses against gays and lesbians.<ref>[http://jeffweintraub.blogspot.com/2008/02/congressman-tom-lantos-champion-of.html Jeff Weintraub, "Congressman Tom Lantos, champion of human rights and human decency, dies at 80," (Feb. 17, 2008) online]  </ref>