[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 155 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11068-H11070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 479) recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the 
Hungarian Revolution that began on October 23, 1956 and reaffirming the 
friendship between the people and governments of the United States and 
Hungary, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 479

       Whereas on October 23, 1956, university students marching 
     through the streets of Budapest were joined by workers and 
     others until their numbers reached some 100,000 Hungarian 
     citizens protesting against the communist government of 
     Hungary and its domination by the Soviet Union, whereupon the 
     Hungarian Security Police opened fire on the crowd and killed 
     hundreds;
       Whereas the Hungarian government under Prime Minister Imre 
     Nagy released political prisoners, including major church 
     leaders, took steps to establish a multi-party democracy, 
     called for the withdrawal of all Soviet troops from Hungary, 
     announced Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, and 
     requested United Nations assistance in establishing Hungarian 
     neutrality;
       Whereas the Soviet Union launched a massive military 
     counteroffensive against the revolt on November 4, 1956, 
     sending tens of thousands of additional troops from the 
     Soviet Union and launched air strikes, artillery

[[Page H11069]]

     bombardments and coordinated tank-infantry actions involving 
     some 6,000 tanks which, remarkably, the outnumbered and 
     under-equipped Hungarian Army and Hungarian workers resisted 
     for several days;
       Whereas Prime Minister Imre Nagy was seized by Soviet 
     security forces despite assurances of safe passage for him to 
     leave the Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest where he sought 
     asylum, and he was taken to Romania and was subsequently 
     tried and executed;
       Whereas an estimated one thousand two hundred Hungarians 
     were tried and executed by the post-1956 Hungarian 
     government;
       Whereas an estimated 200,000 Hungarians fled their country 
     in the aftermath of the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian 
     uprising, and over 47,000 of these people eventually were 
     able to settle in the United States, where they have 
     contributed to the cultural diversity and the economic 
     strength of this country;
       Whereas the uprising of the Hungarian people in 1956 
     dramatically confirmed the widespread contempt in which the 
     Hungarians held the Soviet Union and the underlying weakness 
     of the communist system imposed by Soviet authorities in 
     Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the strength of 
     popular support for democratic principles and the right of 
     the Hungarian people to determine their own national destiny;
       Whereas on October 23, 1989, the Republic of Hungary 
     proclaimed its independence, and in 1990 the Hungarian 
     Parliament officially designated October 23 as a Hungarian 
     national holiday, indicating that the legacy of the 1956 
     Revolution continues to inspire Hungarians to this day;
       Whereas the people of Hungary are beginning a year-long 
     celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian 
     Revolution of 1956;
       Whereas on March 12, 1999, the Government of Hungary, 
     reflecting the will of the Hungarian people, formally acceded 
     to the North Atlantic Treaty and became a member of NATO and 
     on May 1, 2004, Hungary became a full member of the European 
     Union; and
       Whereas Hungary and the United States continue to expand 
     their friendship and cooperation in all realms: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the people of Hungary as they mark the 50th 
     anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution which set the 
     stage for the ultimate collapse of communism in 1989 
     throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary, and 
     two years later in the Soviet Union itself;
       (2) expresses condolences to the people of Hungary for 
     those who lost their lives fighting for the cause of 
     Hungarian freedom and independence in 1956, as well as for 
     those individuals executed by the Soviet and Hungarian 
     communist authorities in the five years following the 
     Revolution, including Prime Minister Imre Nagy;
       (3) welcomes the changes that have taken place in Hungary 
     since 1989, believing that Hungary's integration into NATO 
     and the European Union, together with similar developments in 
     the neighboring countries, will ensure peace, stability, and 
     understanding among the great peoples of the Carpathian 
     Basin; and
       (4) reaffirms the friendship and cooperative relations 
     between the governments of Hungary and the United States and 
     between the Hungarian and American people.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Gallegly) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a resolution introduced by the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos), the ranking member on the Committee on 
International Relations, and recognizes the 50th anniversary of the 
Hungarian Revolution that began on October 23, 1956. It is estimated 
that 3,000 to 4,000 Hungarian freedom fighters and 700 Soviet troops 
were killed during the uprising and tens of thousands more were 
injured. The resolution also reaffirms the friendship between the 
people and governments of the United States and Hungary.
  I am a cosponsor and strongly support H. Res. 479. The 1956 uprising 
by the Hungarian people was one of the most significant challenges to 
Soviet domination of Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. 
The crackdown by Soviet forces led to more than 200,000 Hungarians 
fleeing their country as refugees.
  The brutality of the Soviet military action weakened both the 
standing and moral authority of the Soviet Union and Communist Party 
that were active in Western Europe. The 1956 Hungarian uprising was a 
pivotal event in the Cold War which eventually led to the downfall of 
the Soviet Union and the worldwide communist movement.
  I urge passage of the resolution and commend Mr. Lantos for bringing 
attention to this very important and historical event.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 479. The 
1956 Hungarian uprising against Soviet occupation and domination was 
the defining event for Hungary in the 20th century. It continues to be 
a critical element of the Hungarian people's identity and the defining 
moment in the world's perception of Hungary well into the 21st century.
  The 1956 Hungarian Revolution was also a decisive event for the 
Soviet Union, for the United States, and for the entire world during 
the Cold War.
  Beginning this fall and continuing through November of 2006, the 
Hungarian people in Hungary and wherever they live around the globe are 
proudly celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1956 fight for 
freedom, democracy, and independence.
  Mr. Speaker, the Hungarian struggle for freedom and recognition as an 
independent nation among the nations of the world has been long and 
difficult. In 1848, the Hungarian people united in the fight to assert 
their independence from the Hapsburg Empire, only to have their liberty 
denied by Russian troops which came to the aid of Austria. Although 
Hungary was given a measure of autonomy in the Austro-Hungarian 
monarchy, it was not until the end of World War I that it became a 
fully independent state, though with considerably reduced territory.
  After independence, Hungary suffered increasingly authoritarian 
governments, fell into the Nazi Germany sphere of influence, was 
eventually occupied by Nazi Germany military forces, and at the end of 
World War II was occupied by the Soviet Army, when it began nearly a 
half century of Soviet communist domination.
  One of the brightest moments in the Hungarian struggle for freedom 
and independence came in October 1956 when university students, 
workers, and Hungarians of all walks of life rallied against the Soviet 
occupation of their country.

                              {time}  1700

  The local allies of the Soviets fought against the popular uprising, 
but Soviet troops initially withdrew from Budapest. The reform 
government of Prime Minister Imre Nagy took steps to establish a 
multiparty democracy, called for the removal of all Soviet troops, 
announced Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and requested 
United Nations aid in establishing Hungarian neutrality.
  The Kremlin saw the events in Hungary as a fatal danger to communist 
dominance of Central Europe and their international status. Soviet 
troops were ordered into Budapest. Massive aerial and artillery 
bombardments and 6,000 Soviet tanks were launched against the city. 
Struggling against overwhelming odds, the Hungarian workers and 
students continued the fight, but in the end, they were overcome by the 
crushing Soviet force.
  The black and white television and newsreel pictures of the fight for 
Budapest seen by the American people and the entire world were one of 
the most powerful and enduring images of the entire Cold War. In many 
ways, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 defined the Cold War.
  The uprising of the Hungarian people dramatically confirmed the 
widespread contempt in which the Soviet Union was held even by its 
supposed allies. The uprising exposed the underlying weakness of the 
Communist system imposed by the Soviet Union, and it was a spectacular 
demonstration of the strength of support for democracy and the right of 
peoples to determine their own national destiny.
  The revolution of 1956, Mr. Speaker, remains a defining element of 
the identity of the Hungarian people. In the late 1980s, as the Soviet 
noose around Hungary and the other Soviet-dominated countries of 
Central Europe

[[Page H11070]]

began to loosen, the Hungarian people again returned to the events of 
1956 to express their love for freedom and their desire for 
independence.
  In 1989, the official rehabilitation and public reburial of Prime 
Minister Imre Nagy who was tried and executed by the Soviets for his 
role in 1956 was a key marker of the reassertion of Hungarian 
independence. At the same time, the rehabilitation of other individuals 
who played a role in 1956 and the public celebration of the uprising 
itself were important in affirming Hungarian sovereignty.
  One of the most important symbolic Hungarian actions during this time 
was the government decision to formally designate October 23 the date 
on which the Hungarian uprising began, as a national holiday of the 
Republic of Hungary.
  It is significant, Mr. Speaker, that one of the key events bringing 
down the Berlin Wall and bringing an end to the Soviet Union and its 
dominance of Central Europe was the Hungarian decision in August of 
1989 to open the Hungarian border with Austria to East German citizens.
  East Germans who could not pass through the Berlin Wall could travel 
through Hungary and after August 1989 could go to Austria and then to 
West Germany. More than any other event, this bold Hungarian initiative 
led to the collapse of the East German communist regime and the opening 
of the Berlin Wall.
  Mr. Speaker, as Hungarians in Hungary and around the world mark the 
half century since the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, it is so appropriate 
that we in the United States Congress, on behalf of the American 
people, join in affirming the significance of that event, and that we 
express the condolences of the American people to those who lost their 
lives and their futures in their fight for freedom and liberty.
  The changes that have transformed Hungary and its people in the last 
15 years, the entry of Hungary into NATO, its accession to the European 
Union, its embrace of a free, open and democratic society are possible 
because of what happened a half a century ago.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution 
which affirms our friendship and cooperation with the Hungarian 
government and the Hungarian people.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to conclude by again 
commending my good friend from California (Mr. Lantos) for his 
leadership and his passion on this resolution, and join with him in 
urging our colleagues to support the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and would yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Aderholt). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 479, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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