WASHINGTON (VINnews) — House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed dozens of Holocaust survivors to the U.S. Capitol on Monday and honored Benjamin Ferencz with the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors.

Johnson said the recognition of Ferencz, a former war crimes investigator and prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials, underscores the importance of justice and accountability following the atrocities of World War II.

Lawmakers also marked the memory of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, emphasizing the need to preserve historical awareness and educate future generations.

Johnson said remembering the Holocaust remains essential to preventing such atrocities from happening again.

Today, I welcomed 30 Holocaust survivors to the Capitol and honored Benjamin Ferencz — a war crimes investigator and Nuremberg prosecutor — with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow.

Each year, we gather to remember the six million victims… pic.twitter.com/ynzpH9D7BT

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) April 14, 2026