"Congressman Lantos will be remembered as a tremendous advocate for all people, including the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. As the only survivor of the Holocaust to serve in Congress, he had a deep understanding of the consequences of hatred and discrimination. He was the founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, which has played a vital role in addressing human rights concerns in the U.S. Congress and in making human rights a more visible and important issue on Capitol Hill."

"Over his tenure in Congress, Rep. Lantos was a strong ally in our community's fight for equality. He voted against a constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman, but also took the rare and courageous step by voicing support for same-sex marriage. He believed GLBT people should be allowed to adopt, and supported worker employment protections and hate crime legislation."

"On behalf of the Human Rights Campaign we remember the work of Rep. Tom Lantos and say thank you."

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.