UP UT THANKS. >> OKAY. >> Eric: GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS. >> ERIC: BILLS CONTINUE TO MOVE AT A BREAKNECK PACE WITH ONE PARTY CONTROL AT THE STATE CAPITOL, BUT EVERYONE SLOWED DOWN TO HEAR FROM A NEARLY 100-YEAR-OLD HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR. MARY LAHAMMER SPOKE WITH HER ON HER BIG DAY TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF LAWMAKERS. >> I WAS BORN IN POLAND, IN 1924. >> Mary: DORA ZAIDENWEBBER IS A 94 I YEAR-OLD HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR. >> >> I SPENT FIVE YEARS, MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN THE HOLOCAUST WHEN IT ALL STARTED. I WAS 15 YEARS OLD WHEN IT STARTED. AUSCHWITZ, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BEST-KNOWN PLACES. I ENDED UP -- I WAS VERY SICK, I WAS IN DEATH MARCHS. THE REASON I SURVIVED WAS BECAUSE I WAS WITH MY MOTHER. >> Mary: SHE TESTIFIED AT THE MINNESOTA HOUSE EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE AND SHARED HER STORY WITH US. >> I AM A SURVIVOR OF THE HOLOCAUST, WHO HAS LIVED IN MINNESOTA SINCE 1950. I CAME WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF LOSS OF AN ENTIRE FAMILY AND AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SIX MILLION OF MY PEOPLE WERE MURDERED. 23 IT COULD HAPPEN THERE -- IF IT COULD HAPPEN THERE, IT COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE. WE DO HAVE A VERY DIVERSE POPULATION AND WE ARE NOT SURE THAT WE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT DIVERSE POPULATION. LET'S BE IN THE FORD OF DOING IT RIGHT. >> Mary: THE BILL HAT MANDATES EDUCATING STUDENTS ON THE HOLOCAUST AND OTHER GENOCIDES IS SPONSORED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE FRANK HORNSTEIN AND THE ISSUE IS PERSONAL FOR HIM. >> I'M A CHILD OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, AND IT'S SO CRITICAL THAT WE PRESERVE THE SURVIVORS' STORIES. WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I WENT AROUND TO MY PARENTS AND MY SURVIVING RELATIVES AND I GOT ALL OF THEIR STORIES IN THIS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT THAT I DID OF MY OWN FAMILY. >> Mary: AUTHORS OF THE BIPARTISAN BILL SAY IT WILL PREPARE STUDENTS TO COUNTER HATE AND PREJUDICE WHILE EQUIPPING EDUCATORS TO SUCCESSFULLY TEACH MINNESOTA'S NEW SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS. WHY DOES ITS MATTER NOW PERHAPS MORE THAN EVER? >> IT MATTERS NOW BECAUSE THE SURVIVORS, THROWS WHO ARE STILL ALIVE ARE QUITE OLD AND WHEN WE LOSE THE LAST WITNESSES, WE HAVE TO RE-DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STORIES ARE TOLD AND THAT WE HONOR THEIR MEMORIES. >> Mary: IF SIGNED INTO LAW, THIS WOULD MARK THE FIRST TIME THE GENOCIDES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN MINNESOTA STATUTE. IT WOULD ALSO MAKE US THE 23rd STATE TO REQUIRE SOME FORM OF HOLOCAUST OR GENOCIDE EDUCATION. WHAT ABOUT THE RISE OF HATE AND ANTI-SEMITISM? IT IS DOCUMENTED, PROVEN, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT IN THAT CONTEXT? >> ABSOLUTELY. WE KNOW THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED TO STUDYING THE HOLOCAUST AND OTHER GENOCIDES, WE KNOW THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE MUCH MORE ATUNED TO PROTECTING DEMOCRACY AND BEING ACTIVE GOOD CITIZENS. >> Mary: DOES THE WORD MANDATE SCARE ANYBODY ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE? >> I THINK THERE ARE SOME PERSON THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. WE HAD AN INIS YOUR RECOLLECTION, AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC INSURRECTION WITH PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE CAPITOL WITH NAZI EMBLEMS AND SIGNIA, THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD DO THIS BILL.