From USAID Administrator, Henrietta H. Fore on the Death of Tom Lantos, 1928-2008

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by USAID Administrator Henrietta H. Fore:

America and USAID lost a great champion yesterday with the Passing of Congressman Tom Lantos, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

As the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, Tom Lantos sought throughout his life to be a voice for human rights and civil liberties and he consistently fought for freedom and dignity.

A true friend of our Agency, Tom Lantos most recently provided critical support during his committee's efforts on the Global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008.

At USAID, we have always held Chairman Lantos in the highest esteem and will greatly miss his courage, his conviction, and his leadership in the U.S. Congress.

Our prayers are with his wife Annette, their daughters, and the entire Lantos family.

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.

CONTACT: USAID Public Information, +1-202-712-4810