[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 212 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 212

     Expressing the sense of Congress on the occasion of the 20th 
     anniversary of historic events in Central and Eastern Europe, 
 particularly the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, and reaffirming 
 the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and 
                    the Slovak and Czech Republics.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 7, 2009

Mr. Mica (for himself, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. Bilirakis, 
 Mr. Boozman, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Inglis, Ms. Foxx, Mr. 
  Oberstar, Mr. Latham, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Mack, Mr. Chaffetz, Mr. 
 Petri, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Graves, Mr. 
 Guthrie, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. Royce, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. McCaul, 
Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Camp, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Tiberi, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, 
Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, Mr. Latta, Mr. Kucinich, Ms. Kosmas, Mr. 
    Ehlers, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Hensarling, Mr. Olson, Mr. Ryan of 
 Wisconsin, Mr. McCarthy of California, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. 
     Baldwin, Mr. Nunes, and Mr. Pascrell) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing the sense of Congress on the occasion of the 20th 
     anniversary of historic events in Central and Eastern Europe, 
 particularly the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, and reaffirming 
 the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and 
                    the Slovak and Czech Republics.

Whereas, on September 3, 1918, the United States Government recognized the 
        Czecho-Slovak National Council as the official Government of 
        Czechoslovakia;
Whereas, on October 28, 1918, the peoples of Slovakia, comprising the present 
        Slovak Republic, and the peoples of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of 
        Silesia, comprising the present Czech Republic, proclaimed their 
        independence in a common state of the Czechoslovak Republic;
Whereas between 1938 and 1945, the Nazis annexed part of Bohemia, set up a 
        fascist ``protectorate'' in the rest of Bohemia and in Moravia, and 
        installed a puppet fascist government in Slovakia;
Whereas, on November 17, 1939, the Czech institutions of higher learning were 
        closed by the Nazis, many students were taken to concentration camps, 
        and 9 representatives of the student movement were executed;
Whereas the Communists seized power from the democratically elected Government 
        of Czechoslovakia in March 1948;
Whereas troops from Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968, 
        ousted the reformist government of Alexander Dubcek, and restored a 
        hard-line communist regime;
Whereas, on November 17, 1989, the brutal break up of a student demonstration 
        commemorating the 50th anniversary of the execution of Czech student 
        leaders and the closure of universities by the Nazis triggered the 
        explosion of mass discontent that launched the Velvet Revolution, which 
        was characterized by reliance on nonviolence and open public discourse;
Whereas the peoples of Czechoslovakia overthrew 40 years of totalitarian 
        communist rule in order to rebuild a democratic society;
Whereas, since November 17, 1989, the people of the Slovak and Czech Republics 
        have established a vibrant, pluralistic, democratic political system 
        based upon freedom of speech, a free press, free and fair open 
        elections, the rule of law, and other democratic principles and 
        practices;
Whereas the people of the United States and the Slovak and Czech Republics have 
        maintained a special relationship based on shared democratic values, 
        common interests, and the strong bonds of friendship, mutual respect, 
        and close cooperation; and
Whereas the people of the United States have an affinity with the peoples of the 
        Slovak and Czech Republics and regard the Slovak and Czech Republics as 
        trusted and important partners: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the historic events 
        in Central and Eastern Europe that brought about the collapse 
        of the communist regimes and the fall of the Iron Curtain;
            (2) commemorates, with the Slovak and Czech Republics, the 
        20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, 
        which underscores the significance and value of reclaimed 
        freedom and the dignity of individual citizens;
            (3) commends the peoples of the Slovak and Czech Republics 
        for their remarkable achievements over the past 20 years in 
        building free, democratic, and prosperous societies;
            (4) appreciates the contribution of the Slovak and Czech 
        Republics as members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        and the European Union to the promotion and defense of common 
        values of freedom, democracy, and liberty around the world;
            (5) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and close cooperation 
        that have existed between the United States and the Slovak and 
        Czech Republics; and
            (6) extends the warmest congratulations and best wishes to 
        the people of the Slovak Republic and the peoples of the Czech 
        Republic for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful future.
                                 <all>