Since 1989, the Speaker of the House has appointed Tom Lantos a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. As the only survivor of the Holocaust ever elected to Congress, he brings a unique point of view to this position. The Council is responsible for the development of the Holocaust Memorial Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and for creating programs to honor victims of the Holocaust. It also has responsibility to call attention to current instances of genocide and conducts programs to encourage tolerance and respect for law.