[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 749 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 749

Recognizing the accomplishments of Ignacy Jan Paderewski as a musician, 
  composer, statesman, and philanthropist on the occasion of the 65th 
                       anniversary of his death.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 30, 2006

    Ms. Kaptur (for herself, Ms. Watson, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Burton of 
Indiana, Mr. Holt, and Ms. Baldwin) submitted the following resolution; 
     which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the accomplishments of Ignacy Jan Paderewski as a musician, 
  composer, statesman, and philanthropist on the occasion of the 65th 
                       anniversary of his death.

Whereas Ignacy Jan Paderewski, born in Poland in 1860, was a brilliant and 
        popular pianist who performed hundreds of concerts in Europe and the 
        United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries;
Whereas Paderewski often donated the proceeds of his concerts to charitable 
        causes;
Whereas during World War I, Paderewski worked for the independence of Poland and 
        served as the first Premier of Poland;
Whereas in December 1919, Paderewski resigned as Premier of Poland, and in 1921 
        he left politics to return to his music;
Whereas the German invasion of Poland in 1939 spurred Paderewski to return to 
        political life;
Whereas Paderewski fought against the Nazi dictatorship in World War II by 
        joining the exiled Polish Government to mobilize the Polish forces and 
        to urge the United States to join the Allied Forces;
Whereas Paderewski died in exile in America on June 29, 1941, while war and 
        occupation imperiled all of Europe;
Whereas by the direction of United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 
        Paderewski's remains were placed alongside America's honored dead in 
        Arlington National Cemetery, where President Roosevelt said, ``He may 
        lie there until Poland is free'';
Whereas in 1963, United States President John F. Kennedy honored Paderewski by 
        placing a plaque marking Paderewski's remains at the Mast of the Maine 
        at Arlington National Cemetery;
Whereas in 1992, United States President George H.W. Bush, at the request of 
        Lech Walesa, the first democratically elected President of Poland 
        following World War II, ordered Paderewski's remains returned to his 
        native Poland;
Whereas on June 26, 1992, the remains of Paderewski were removed from the Mast 
        of the Maine at Arlington National Cemetery, and were returned to Poland 
        on June 29, 1992;
Whereas on July 5, 1992, Paderewski's remains were interred in a crypt at the 
        St. John Cathedral in Warsaw, Poland; and
Whereas Paderewski wished his heart to be forever enshrined in America, where 
        his lifelong struggle for democracy and freedom had its roots and was 
        cultivated, and now his heart remains at the Shrine of the Czestochowa 
        in Doylestown, Pennsylvania: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That, on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the 
death of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the accomplishments of Ignacy Jan Paderewski 
        as a musician, composer, statesman, and philanthropist;
            (2) acknowledges the invaluable efforts of Ignacy Jan 
        Paderewski in forging close Polish-American ties; and
            (3) is mindful of Poland's contribution to the war against 
        global terrorism by becoming the strongest partner of the 
        United States on the European continent.
                                 <all>