[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 496 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 496

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         July 29, 2009.
Whereas November 9, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin 
        Wall and the symbolic end of the Cold War;
Whereas the Cold War was an enduring struggle between communism and democracy 
        throughout the second half of the 20th century;
Whereas the last United States President to speak at the Brandenburg Gate prior 
        to the destruction of the Berlin Wall was President Ronald Reagan, who, 
        in June 1987, stated, ``General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, 
        if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you 
        seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this 
        gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!'';
Whereas two years later, in September 1989, protests that the East Germans 
        called the ``Peaceful Revolution'' broke out, with protestors at first 
        chanting ``We want out!'', and then gradually changing that protest cry 
        to ``We're staying here!'', demonstrating their desire for democracy in 
        their part of Germany;
Whereas on November 9, 1989, in response to protests that had grown to include 
        over 1,000,000 people in Berlin's Alexanderplatz, Gunter Schabowski, the 
        communist East German Minister of Propaganda, announced that the border 
        would be opened for ``private trips abroad'';
Whereas thousands of people in East Berlin immediately flooded the checkpoints 
        at the Berlin Wall and demanded entry into West Berlin causing the 
        overwhelmed East German Border Guards to open the border checkpoints to 
        allow people to cross into West Berlin;
Whereas people in West Berlin enthusiastically greeted those coming across from 
        East Berlin, dancing atop the Berlin Wall and hammering chunks out of it 
        until a section opened through which more East Germans walked and 
        shouted out ``Freedom! Freedom! Just once, Freedom!'';
Whereas over 400,000,000 people were freed from the bondage of communism at the 
        end of the Cold War in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, 
        Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, 
        Uzbekistan, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, 
        Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania;
Whereas the victory of the United States in the Cold War will signify freedom 
        from oppression for decades to come;
Whereas Berlin, Germany, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the 
        Berlin Wall with the ``Festival of Freedom''; and
Whereas the fall of the Berlin Wall was one of the most significant events of 
        the 20th century and symbolized the triumph of democracy over communism: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall;
            (2) celebrates 20 years of freedom from the bondage of communism 
        with the people of the former communist countries; and
            (3) acknowledges the symbolic triumph of democracy over communism.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.