Roosevelt urging him to take immediate action to assist the victims of Nazi crimes. Largely as a result of these mens efforts. President Roosevelt created the War Refugee Board on January 22. 1944. Roosevelt stated that through the work of the Board. the United States would "take all measures within its power to rescue the victims of enemy oppression . . . to afford such victims all possible relief and assistance." Despite its monumental mission. the War Refugee Board was only comprised of 30 employees and allocated $1 million to carry out its tasks. With the generous financial assistance of thousands of American Jews and others. the War Refugee Board was able to save as many as 200.000 Jews and other persecuted minorities. Of those. 15.000 were evacuated from areas controlled by Germany and its allies. 48.000 were transferred from Transnistria to safe areas o1 Romania. and at least another 10.000 were protected throughout other parts of Axis Europe by War Refugee Board funded underground activities. Additionally. through their assistance to the Intemnational Red Cross. the War Refugee Board helped to provide food parcels to civilians in internment camps as well as support and protection for some 3.000.000 Allied and Axis prisoners of war. In passing this legislation. the House will recognize not only the noble efforts of the War Refugee Board. but also the efforts of those Government officials who made it their personal mission to ensure that Americas policies abroad reflected our Nations ideals of justice and compassion. The work of John Pehle. Henry Morgenthau. Josiah Dubois. and the War Refugee Board embodied the American tradition of reaching out to those most in need and helped make America the beacon of hope it has come to symbolize for so many. Mr. Speaker. at a time when Americas moral authority is questioned as strongly as it is today. it is important to remember those Americans in our history who have worked tirelessly to ensure the United Stales meets the ethical responsibility thai comes with our standing in the world.