[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 400 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 400

    Congratulating the Republic of Hungary on the millennium of its 
                         foundation as a state.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2000

   Mr. Istook (for himself and Mr. Pallone) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Congratulating the Republic of Hungary on the millennium of its 
                         foundation as a state.

Whereas the ancestors of the Hungarian nation, 7 tribes excelling in 
        horsemanship and handicrafts, settled in the Carpathian basin around the 
        end of the 9th century;
Whereas during the next century this tribal association had accommodated itself 
        to a permanently settled status;
Whereas the ruler of the nation at the end of the first millennium, Prince 
        Stephen, realized with great foresight that the survival of his nation 
        depends on its adapting itself to its surroundings by becoming a 
        Christian kingdom and linking its future to Western civilization;
Whereas in 1000 A.D. Stephen, later canonized as Saint Stephen, adopted the 
        Christian faith and was crowned with a crown which he requested from 
        Pope Sylvester II of Rome;
Whereas, by those acts, Saint Stephen, King of Hungary, established his domain 
        as 1 of the 7 Christian kingdoms of Europe of the time and anchored his 
        nation in Western civilization forever;
Whereas during the past 1,000 years, in spite of residing on the traditional 
        crossroads of invaders from the East and the West, the Hungarian nation 
        showed great vitality in preserving its unique identity, language, 
        culture, and traditions;
Whereas in his written legacy, Saint Stephen called for tolerance and 
        hospitality toward settlers migrating to the land from other cultures;
Whereas through the ensuing centuries other tribes and ethnic and religious 
        groups moved to Hungary and gained acceptance into the nation, enriching 
        its heritage;
Whereas since the 16th century a vibrant Protestant community has contributed to 
        the vitality and diversity of the Hungarian nation;
Whereas, particularly after their emancipation in the second half of the 19th 
        century, Hungarians of the Jewish faith have made an enormous 
        contribution to the economic, cultural, artistic, and scientific life of 
        the Hungarian nation, contributing more than half of the nation's Nobel 
        Prize winners;
Whereas the United States has benefitted immensely from the hard work, 
        dedication, scientific knowledge, and cultural gifts of hundreds of 
        thousands of immigrants from Hungary; and
Whereas in this year Hungary also celebrates the 10th anniversary of its first 
        post-communist free and democratic elections, the first such elections 
        within the former Warsaw Pact: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) congratulates the Republic of Hungary, and Hungarians 
        everywhere, on the one thousandth anniversary of the founding 
        of the Kingdom of Hungary by Saint Stephen; and
            (2) commends the Republic of Hungary for the great 
        determination, skill, and sense of purpose it demonstrated in 
        its recent transition to a democratic state dedicated to 
        upholding universal rights and liberties, a free market 
        economy, and integration into European and transatlantic 
        institutions.
                                 <all>