WASHINGTON (11 Feb.) -- U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, released the following statement after the family of U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), 80, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that he had passed away earlier Monday morning:

"Chairman Tom Lantos was a man who championed the cause of human freedom, not only through his work in Congress and as a co-founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, but also as the only survivor of the Holocaust to serve in Congress.

"Tom's commitment to freedom and defense of human rights throughout the world was emblematic of a man who was one of only a handful in his family to survive the Shoah and used his remaining time on this Earth to fight for those who did not have the chance to fight for themselves.

"His life experience was a great addition to the work of our government."

"I have always admired Tom Lantos for his courage and leadership. On a personal level, I appreciated his kindness and guidance to me as a new member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the Lantos family for their loss."