[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 15, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1256-E1257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         SPEAKER HASTERT SPEECH TO THE PARLIAMENT OF LITHUANIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 15, 1999

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter the following 
transcript of Speaker Hastert's speech to the parliament of Lithuania 
into the House Record. I believe that it sends a great message of the 
commonalties between America and Lithuania. It also demonstrates why we 
must show concern for the events that occur outside the United States.

       Washington, D.C.--House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) 
     today released the following text of his speech to the 
     Lithuania Parliament on March 30, 1999:
       Mr. Chairman, Members of the Seimas, distinguished guests: 
     Let me thank you for this great honor of addressing this 
     assembly. I have traveled far to be here today--but not 
     nearly as far as you have traveled over the last ten years.
       Outside this building I was shown the barricades manned by 
     those who stood their ground and defended this very 
     Parliament. We in the United States Congress try to do our 
     duty each day--to protect freedom and promote democracy. But 
     for almost 200 years, we have not had to defend our Capitol 
     Building from attack.
       Of course, we know the stories of our founders who met in 
     Philadelphia and swore their lives and property to defend our 
     new democracy. That is why the pictures of your courageous 
     stand for freedom--flashed across the world--reminded us in 
     the Congress of our own beginnings. It drove home the fact 
     that freedom at times must be defended with our very lives.
       Professor Landsbergis, your courageous stand for liberty 
     served as an inspiration to all Americans. The American 
     people continue to be inspired by your successful efforts to 
     create a stable democracy in order to provide a better way of 
     life for Lithuania's children.
       As you may know, I am from the state of Illinois, which is 
     the home of the great city of Chicago. I think you all have 
     heard of the city of Chicago. We are pleased President 
     Adamkus was able to spend some of his life in Chicago. He 
     contributed much to our country, and we are grateful for 
     those contributions. But his heart was always here in 
     Lithuania, with your struggle for freedom.
       Illinois is also the home of two of my political heroes: 
     Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Abraham Lincoln is best 
     known to history for ending the barbaric practice of slavery 
     in the United States. It was Abraham Lincoln who said: 
     ``Government of the people, by the people and for the people 
     shall not perish from the earth.'' By working hard to create 
     a stable and secure democracy, the Lithuanian people prove 
     that truth.
       History will record that Ronald Reagan challenged the 20th 
     century version of slavery. It was Ronald Reagan who said: 
     ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.'' That eloquent 
     statement, coupled by the hard work of Eastern Europeans 
     yearning to be free, helped end Soviet aggression and created 
     a new and bigger Europe. It is this new Europe that I want to 
     talk to you about today.
       The new Europe has a profound relationship with the United 
     States. Part of that relationship comes from our cultural 
     ties. In no small measure, Europe helped build America with 
     the contributions of its people, whether they be Irish or 
     Polish or German or Italian, or Lithuanian. An American 
     ambassador once said to the Soviet premier: ``When we talk 
     about human rights behind the Iron Curtain, we are not 
     interfering in your internal affairs. We are talking about 
     family matters.'' Practically every family here has family in 
     America.
       In fact, close to one million Americans identify themselves 
     as Lithuanian Americans. One of those Lithuanian Americans is 
     Illinois Congressman John Shimkus, Chairman of the House 
     Baltic Caucus, and a member of our delegation here today.
       The American people stood by Lithuania in its times of 
     trouble. They will stand by Lithuania in its times of 
     prosperity. The new Europe is built on mutual trust, not 
     mutual hatred. It is build on democracy, not totalitarianism. 
     It is built on trade, not protectionism. It is build on the 
     free exchange of ideas, not the narrow bounds of nationalism. 
     It appeals to the better nature of mankind, not to the darker 
     side of evil.
       America's special relationship with the new Europe also 
     comes from strategic considerations. This strategic 
     relationship can partly be seen though the prism of NATO. 
     NATO was founded as an organization dedicated to protecting 
     its members from attack. It must not lose sight of its 
     important mission: to defend its members. Lithuania is a 
     strongly ally in the Partnership for Peace program. I support 
     its membership--full membership--in NATO.
       I want to congratulate you on your defense budget, soon to 
     reach two percent of Gross Domestic Product. Your commitment 
     to building a strong defense can only help your case as you 
     seek to become a full strategic partner. As a legislator who 
     is working on his nation's budget, I know how difficult those 
     choices can be. But you have made the right choice to fund 
     the military and to improve the living conditions of its 
     personnel.
       A great threat to the new Europe is the current instability 
     in the Balkans. The Milosevic regime is evil and free nations 
     should confront evil wherever it occurs. We have a duty to 
     say no to ruthless dictators, to draw the lines where evil 
     knows no bounds.
       We had a debate in the House of Representatives about the 
     virtues of America's involvement in the Balkans conflict. 
     Many of my colleagues in the House had reservations about 
     American involvement in that region. But now that the United 
     States is involved--let there be no mistake--no one should 
     doubt the resolve of the American people as we work to bring 
     justice to the Kosovo region.
       The reports we have from Kosovo are deeply disturbing. If 
     it is true that Serbia is attempting to wipe out Kosovar 
     Albanians, those Serbs will be brought to justice. The 
     democratic nations of Europe, and the United States as their 
     partners in NATO, should not sit idly by when genocide is 
     carried out in Europe. Defending freedom means defending 
     defenseless people.
       The new Europe must be on the front lines when it comes to 
     fighting injustice. One way to achieve this goal is to become 
     bigger. A bigger European Union is a better European Union. I 
     believe it should stretch eastward to include the emerging 
     democracies of Eastern Europe.
       It is better for the United States for trade and security 
     reasons. And it is better for the people of Europe who want 
     to move to a more secure and prosperous future. We in the 
     Congress support Lithuania's bid to become a full member of 
     the European Union. By becoming a full member, Lithuania has 
     a better opportunity to develop its export capabilities and 
     its free market system. I want to congratulate Lithuania for 
     becoming a model of regional stability. You have excellent 
     relations with Poland, and your cooperation with your Nordic 
     and Baltic neighbors is vitally important.
       We also appreciate your efforts to find common ground with 
     Russia and with your help in Kaliningrad. And we know how 
     hard you are working to develop a positive relationship with 
     Belarus.
       Let me conclude by saluting you, the people of Lithuania. 
     You have given much to the United States. You have given us 
     athletes who star in basketball and hockey. You have given us 
     politicians who help us in the United States Congress. And 
     you have given us hundreds of thousands of unheralded, 
     hardworking citizens who help make up the intricate tapestry 
     that is America.
       Someone once asked President Reagan whether he thought we 
     were living in a time without heroes. He replied by saying 
     that those who fear we have no heroes: ``just don't know 
     where to look. You can see heroes every day going in and out 
     of factory gates. Others, a handful in number, produce enough 
     food to feed all of us and then the world beyond. You meet 
     heroes across a counter--and they are on both sides of that 
     counter. They are entrepreneurs--with faith in themselves and 
     faith in an idea--who create new jobs, new wealth and 
     opportunity. They are individuals and families whose taxes 
     support the government, and whose voluntary gifts support 
     church, charity, culture, art and education. Their patriotism 
     is quite but deep. Their values sustain our national life.''
       Many of these every day American heroes call Lithuania 
     their ancestral homeland. Let me say a final word about 
     Lithuania's heroes. Later today, our delegation will visit

[[Page E1257]]

     the KGB museum. We will go there to pay our respects to those 
     who suffered and died in the hands of an evil and brutal 
     occupation.
       President Lincoln, when he dedicated the cemetery at 
     Gettysburg, said that mere words could not dedicate nor 
     consecrate the sacrifices of brave men who defend liberty. 
     Likewise, there is nothing that we--who have not experienced 
     such a place, can do to honor it. Those who suffered in that 
     building in defense of freedom have already made it hallowed 
     ground. But we can remember--and we can educate future 
     generations, and by so doing ensure that such a place will 
     never be build again.
       America is a better place because of Lithuania. And I hope 
     that Lithuania is a freer and a stronger democracy because of 
     the efforts of the American people.
       May God bless the people of Lithuania like He has blessed 
     the people of the United States.

     

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