Tom Lantos had consistently stood up for the oppressed around the world; his most recent actions have been:
During a Congressional hearing in February, 2006, Tom Lantos repeatedly asked Google, Cisco, Microsoft and Yahoo individually as to whether they are ashamed of what their company had done in China. When Microsoft answered that they were only complying with legal orders in China, Lantos asked, "Well, IBM complied with legal orders when they cooperated with Nazi Germany ... Do you think that IBM during that period had something to be ashamed of?" 
In a November, 2007 hearing, Tom Lantos once against expressed concern of Yahoo's complicity in the repression apparatus of China's government.  Yahoo later apologized to Congress for lying during the hearings.
In April, 2006, Tom Lantos with four other Congressmembers were among eleven people arrested at the Sudan Embassy during a rally against the Darfur genocide.  Previously, Tom Lantos sponsored several legislations on Darfur and in 2004 Congress officially called Darfur genocide. 
In October last year, Tom Lantos gave voice to the recognition of the genocide of Armenians in Turkey during WWI by sponsoring a legislation.
In December last year, the House passed the Lantos Burma Human Rights Act against the military junta government.
Tom Lantos stood for the founding principles of the United States; his legacy will forever be enshrined in the annals of human rights actions of his adopted country. 
Congressman Tom Lantos will be deeply missed.
Ann Lau
Chair, Visual Artists Guild