[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H2479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                WE ALL GRIEVE WITH THE PEOPLE OF POLAND

  (Mrs. MILLER of Michigan asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, this past Saturday, April 10, 
2010, the people of Poland suffered an unspeakable tragedy. The world 
lost a great leader and the United States lost a true friend with the 
death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, and much of the Polish 
leadership as well, that died in that plane crash in Russia.
  President Kaczynski was a staunch supporter of freedom. Early in his 
life, he was a leader in the fight against communism. As a lawyer in 
Gdansk, he became an adviser to the Solidarity movement in the late 
1970s. During martial law in 1981, he was jailed because the government 
thought he was an antisocialist element.
  When Poland shed the yoke of communism, Lech Kaczynski continued to 
serve Poland until his death. He served as a senator, as the vice chair 
of Solidarity, as a member of Parliament, as the mayor of Warsaw, as 
the Minister of Justice, and Attorney General, and finally as President 
of Poland for the last 5 years.
  He was a true friend of America, Madam Speaker. He fought corruption 
because he believed it was an impediment to justice and freedom. And we 
all mourn with the people of Poland at the loss of this true Polish 
patriot. May our great friend rest in peace.

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