[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2545-H2550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO THE PEOPLE OF POLAND

  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1246) expressing sympathy to the people of 
Poland in the aftermath of the tragic plane crash that killed the 
country's President, First Lady, and 94 others on April 10, 2010.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1246

       Whereas the Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 other 
     people, including Poland's First Lady, deputy foreign 
     minister, deputy defense minister, dozens of members of 
     Parliament, the chiefs of the army and navy, and the 
     president of the national bank, were killed in a plane crash 
     in western Russia on April 10, 2010;
       Whereas President Kaczynski and his colleagues were 
     traveling to Katyn, Russia for a memorial service to mark the 
     70th anniversary of the Soviet secret police killing of more 
     than 20,000 Polish officers, prisoners, and intellectuals who 
     were captured after the Soviet Union invaded Poland in 1939;
       Whereas Ryszard Kaczorowski, who served as Poland's final 
     president in exile before the country's return to democracy, 
     perished;
       Whereas Anna Walentynowicz, the former dock worker whose 
     firing in 1980 sparked the Solidarity strike that ultimately 
     overthrew the Polish communist government, was also killed in 
     the crash;
       Whereas respected Chicago artist Wojciech Seweryn, whose 
     father was killed in Katyn, and who recently completed a 
     memorial to the victims of Katyn at St. Adalbert Cemetery in 
     Niles, Illinois, which Polish President Kaczynski planned to 
     visit in May, died in the crash as well;
       Whereas Russia and Poland had begun to heal the deep wounds 
     from the Katyn tragedy, with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir 
     Putin recently joining Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a 
     ceremony marking the event at Katyn;
       Whereas Prime Minister Putin, the first Russian leader ever 
     to attend the Katyn commemoration said ``we bow our heads to 
     those who bravely met death here'';
       Whereas more than 9,000,000 Americans of Polish descent now 
     reside in the United States, including in major metropolitan 
     areas such as Chicago, Detroit, and New York City;
       Whereas the American people stood in support of the 
     Solidarity movement as it fought against the oppression of 
     the Polish communist government through peaceful means, 
     eventually leading to Solidarity members being elected to 
     office in partially free democratic elections held on June 4, 
     1989;
       Whereas Poland joined the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) in 1999 and has since contributed to 
     military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; and
       Whereas the United States and Poland share a strong bond of 
     friendship and international cooperation: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) mourns the death of President Kaczynski and the 
     terrible loss of life that resulted from the plane crash of 
     April 10, 2010;
       (2) expresses its deepest sympathies to the people of 
     Poland and the families of those who perished for their 
     profound loss;
       (3) expresses strong and continued solidarity with the 
     people of Poland and all persons of Polish descent; and
       (4) expresses unwavering support for the Polish government 
     as it works to overcome the loss of many key public 
     officials.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DELAHUNT. 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 Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution, which expresses sympathy 
for the people of Poland following the tragic plane crash last weekend 
that killed their President and so many others.
  I wish to thank my colleagues and friends, Representatives 
Dahlkemper, Kanjorski, and Lipinski for quickly preparing a text that 
enables this House to add its voice to the condolences being expressed 
around the world on this sad occasion.
  Last Saturday we woke to the terrible news of a plane crash in 
western Russia. This accident took the lives of Polish President Lech 
Kaczynski, his wife, the deputy foreign minister, the deputy defense 
minister, the chiefs of the army and navy, the president of the 
national bank, dozens of members of parliament, as well as civilian and 
military staff.
  Today, the House mourns the death of President Kaczynski and his 
colleagues. We express our deepest sympathies to the people of Poland 
as well to the families who have suffered such a grievous loss. We 
think, too, of the millions of Americans who claim Polish ancestry, as 
we know their hearts are also heavy.
  We pledge to stand by the Polish Government as it seeks to 
reconstitute itself and reaffirm our enduring friendship for Poland.
  Madam Speaker, what makes this accident even more tragic is that it 
occurred as President Kaczynski's delegation was traveling to 
commemorate one of the most brutal events of World War II--the 
execution of more than 20,000 Polish officers, prisoners, and 
intellectuals in Katyn Forest by the Soviet Secret Police in 1939.
  Earlier in the week, there were encouraging signs that Poland and 
Russia were beginning to heal the deep wounds caused by these horrific 
wartime events. Russian Prime Minister Putin joined Poland Prime 
Minister Donald Tusk at a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of this 
massacre--the first time a Russian leader has ever participated in this 
memorial.
  The Russian people have been very supportive and responsive in the 
wake of the disaster, with Prime Minister Putin personally heading the 
inquiry into the crash.
  Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the International Relations 
Committee of the Russian State Duma--described the death of the Polish 
President as a great tragedy for both the Polish and the Russian 
peoples. Observing that both countries were mourning together, he 
solemnly noted, and these are his words: ``Katyn took some more 
victims.''
  If anything positive is to come from these tragic deaths, it may be 
the development of closer ties between these two nations and their 
citizens.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am saddened by the need for this resolution. The 
death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, and 94 other 
Polish officials and citizens in the plane crash in Russia on April 10 
was sudden, unexpected, and truly a tragedy for the nation of Poland.
  We have all seen the outpouring of grief and tributes since then by 
the citizens of Poland in support and in honor of their late President 
and all who died with him.
  There is little that we can here do today to add to the honors 
bestowed upon the departed by their very own countrymen, but we can, 
however, offer our condolences to the strong and proud nation of 
Poland, which has been and remains a friend and an ally of the United 
States.
  Despite the loss of their President, we can be certain that the 
Polish people will continue on the road toward democracy, prosperity, 
and security, the road that they have traveled since they broke free of 
the grip of Communist authoritarian rule in 1989.

[[Page H2546]]

  How proud we were, when they regained their freedom, that America has 
stood by the people of Poland during those times when they suffered 
under a Communist dictatorship and domination by the former Soviet 
regime in Moscow. Similarly, the people of Poland now offer their 
solidarity with those who seek freedom in my native homeland of Cuba. 
Having suffered in the not-too-distant past under the crushing yoke of 
the Soviet regime, many in Poland sadly know all too well the struggles 
that the people of Cuba face each and every day under the stranglehold 
of the Cuban dictatorship.
  Poland's support for human rights and democracy in Cuba illustrates 
it has not forgotten its past suffering nor the strength that it 
received from the solidarity of others. And how proud we are today that 
Poland has become an important member of both the North Atlantic 
Alliance and the European Union and that it has become a strong voice 
for those countries in Eastern Europe that are working to ensure that 
they never again fall victim to the domination by a more powerful 
neighboring state.
  President Kaczynski was, in fact, an important leader in an effort to 
ensure that the hard-won liberty and democracy today enjoyed by Poland 
and other nations of Eastern Europe is not bartered away. He recognized 
the temptations faced by other European states which eagerly expand 
their commercial and military exports to Russia while increasing their 
reliance on energy supplies from Russia. He would not succumb to those 
Russian manipulations and coercions.
  The late Polish President was a voice that may have been unwelcome 
among some in the councils in Brussels, but it was a voice that was 
heeded.
  Moreover, Madam Speaker, under his leadership, Poland continued as a 
strong friend and a staunch ally of the United States, supporting 
military operations against extremists in Iraq and in Afghanistan, 
supporting America's efforts to create long-range missile defenses for 
both Europe and the United States, participating as a full partner in 
NATO, and supporting the expansion of democracy everywhere.
  There are those in Europe who, while enjoying the security commitment 
provided by the United States through NATO, nevertheless feel free to 
criticize America's initiatives to fight extremism and address threats 
around the world. President Kaczynski was not one of those voices. In 
fact, during his trip to the United States 3 years ago, he made a 
special trip to visit the Reagan Library as a sign of his country's 
appreciation for our former President's leadership in the efforts to 
free his country from Communist domination. President Kaczynski valued 
this support and offered Poland's support in return.
  Madam Speaker, we express our condolences to the people of Poland on 
the loss of their President, his wife, and so many of the leading 
officials and countrymen. At this time, and in the future, America will 
forever remain a friend of Poland.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to one of the original 
sponsors of this resolution, the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. 
Dahlkemper).
  Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. I thank the gentleman; and I want to thank the 
leadership for allowing myself and my colleagues, Mr. Lipinski and Mr. 
Kanjorski, to bring forward this very important but very sad 
resolution.
  It is with a very heavy heart today that I rise to offer House 
Resolution 1246 expressing sympathy to the people of Poland in the 
aftermath of the tragic plane crash that killed the country's 
President, First Lady, and 94 others on April 10, 2010. President Lech 
Kaczynski, his wife Maria, Poland's army chief, navy chief commander, 
governor of the Polish central bank, other lawmakers, aides, and state 
officials were lost when their plane crashed in Western Russia.
  The delegation was traveling to a memorial service to honor 22,000 
Polish officers killed in Russia's Katyn forest by the Soviet secret 
police in 1940.
  We offer our condolences and sympathy to the Polish people and Polish 
Americans as we mourn the loss of President Kaczynski, his wife, and 
other great leaders lost in this tragedy.
  President Kaczynski was a distinguished statesman and leader in the 
Solidarity movement. He will be long remembered for his commitment to 
freedom, democracy, and human dignity.
  Today, we stand in solidarity with more than 38 millions Poles in 
Poland and 9 million Americans of Polish descent now residing in the 
United States, including more than 14,000 Polish Americans in my 
hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. Polish Americans have made great 
contributions to our Nation's livelihood and culture, and we are 
grateful for their presence in the United States.
  Our hearts go out to our Polish brothers and sisters across the globe 
who share in this horrible loss. In this time of mourning, let us 
remember the words of St. Peter, ``And the God of all grace, who called 
you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little 
while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and 
steadfast.''
  I urge my colleagues to stand in solidarity with Poland and support 
our resolution.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 
such time as he may consume to our esteemed colleague, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Poe), a wonderful member of our Committee on Foreign 
Affairs.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the ranking member for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I also rise today to join all my colleagues in 
mourning the death of President Lech Kaczynski and many others who died 
in that plane crash on April 10, 2010. Poland lost some of its most 
famous political figures. They were heroes among the Polish people. The 
95 people that died that day included the President, a very pro-U.S. 
and anti-Soviet individual, and his wife and numerous other political 
government officials.
  It's interesting to note why so many officials were going to Russia, 
why they were on that particular plane headed to a specific event. 
Well, that Polish delegation was traveling to Russia to commemorate the 
70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre.
  On September 17, 1939, the Red Army invaded the territory of Poland 
from the east. They captured hundreds of thousands of Poles and 
deported them to prisoner of war camps in the western Soviet Union.
  Once at the camps, the Poles were subjected to lengthy 
interrogations; and if the prisoners could not be induced to adopt a 
pro-Soviet attitude, they were declared ``hardened and uncompromising 
enemies of Soviet authority.''
  So on March 5, 1940, Joseph Stalin and three of his henchmen signed 
an order to execute over 20,000 prisoners, all Poles, to weaken any 
future Polish military. In the Katyn forest, Soviet secret police 
executed more than 20,000 Polish nationals who were mainly officers in 
the Polish military.
  And beginning on April 3, the killings were methodical. After a 
condemned person's information was checked, that individual was 
handcuffed and led to a secret cell that was insulated with felt to 
make sure that no noise could come from that cell. The sounds were also 
masked by the operation of loud machines that were working in the 
factories. And after being taken to the cell, the victim was 
immediately shot in the back of the head. His body was taken out 
through the opposite door in the cell and laid in one of the five or 
six waiting trucks, whereupon the next condemned Pole was taken inside 
and the same procedure was methodically followed again.
  This occurred over 20,000 times; and the procedure went on every day, 
every night, except, ironically, for the May Day celebration. In the 
end, those 20,000 POWs and prisoners were executed without a trial, 
just a summary judgment.
  Those who died at the Katyn include an admiral, two generals, 24 
colonels, 79 lieutenant colonels, 258 Polish majors, 654 captains, 17 
naval captains, over 3,000 noncommissioned officers. It included even 
seven chaplains, three landowners, a prince, 43 public officials, 85 
privates, and 131 other refugees.
  Also among the dead were 20 university professors, 300 doctors, 
several hundred lawyers, engineers, teachers, and more than 100 writers 
and journalists, as well as about 200 pilots, all

[[Page H2547]]

leaders in the Polish community. The effort of the Soviet Union was to 
destroy those leaders and destroy Poland as well. These were all Poles, 
all victims of the terror of communism.
  For over half a century, Moscow even denied this ever occurred. The 
Soviet government had suppressed all the information about the 
shootings and blamed it on the Nazis. In 1992, Russia finally released 
the documents showing that the entire Politburo, including Joseph 
Stalin, signed an order dated March, 1940, to kill these Polish 
officers.
  Poland had a rough history in the last century. They were invaded by 
the Nazis, and many of the Poles were taken to Germany and died in 
concentration camps. And then the Soviets invaded the same country 
trying to drive out the Nazis; and they, too, took many Poles and put 
them in concentration camps, where many of them died.
  In the United States, we celebrate the end of World War II in 1945, 
but the Poles, they don't celebrate the end of World War II in 1945. 
They celebrate it in 1989, when the wall finally fell and the Soviets 
left town. It was a long war for our friends in Poland.
  So now, Madam Speaker, we know the rest of the story and why 
President Kaczynski and so many Poles were on that plane that crashed 
in Russia. Now they, too, ironically, have died on the same land where 
thousands of other Poles died over 70 years ago.
  It is appropriate today that we pay homage to all of those Poles who 
have lived and died in a quest for Polish liberty, those Poles who have 
always been an ally of the United States, and we grieve while they 
grieve in Poland.
  And that's just the way it is.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to another original 
sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise to share my deepest sympathies 
and solemn condolences with the people of Poland and all those who are 
impacted by this tragic plane crash. President Kaczynski will be deeply 
missed. He was determined to ensure the strength, prosperity, and 
sovereignty of Poland and was a strong ally of the United States.

                              {time}  1445

  Chicago also mourns the loss of one of our own, Wojciech Seweryn, who 
perished in the crash.
  The Polish and American people have long shared a deep attachment to 
the values of freedom and independence. Today, with over 9 million 
people of Polish ancestry in the U.S., including roughly 1 million in 
Illinois, Poland remains one of America's closest allies. Our two 
nations continue to cooperate closely on issues of national security, 
regional and global security, democratization, and human rights. Our 
friendship and partnership have been and will continue to be steadfast.
  Nothing we say today will make up for the tremendous loss that Poland 
has suffered and continues to grieve. However, as a proud Polish 
American, I hope that by sharing our own grief, sympathy, and unity 
with the Polish people, we will be able to help them gather the resolve 
and strength needed to get through such difficult times.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I know that Mr. Delahunt has about 
10 speakers, so I'm going to continue to reserve for a while.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the dean of the 
House, Chairman John Dingell.
  (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I commend, congratulate, and thank my 
good friends on the committee for their kindness, and I thank my good 
friend from Massachusetts for yielding this time to me.
  I rise in strong support of the resolution expressing the sympathy of 
the United States for the people of Poland in the aftermath of the 
tragic plane crash that killed the country's President, First Lady, and 
94 other Poles. My thoughts and prayers are with the Polish people at 
this difficult time.
  As an American of Polish descent, proud of my heritage, I grieve at 
this loss. And what a sad time it occurs when the Poles were going to 
Smolensk, Russia to commemorate the killing of 20,000 Polish officers 
and intelligentsia under the direct orders of the Soviet dictator, 
Joseph Stalin.
  I am grieving about the situation in Poland, but I am proud that the 
Polish people have established a democracy which is not only a friend 
of the United States, but which is able to survive these difficult 
times and maintain not only its friendship for America, but its 
leadership in the world and its superb work in maintaining a democracy 
for which the Poles have yearned so long.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. I thank the gentleman.
  I now yield to the Speaker of the House, the gentlelady from 
California (Ms. Pelosi).
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Mr. 
Delahunt and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen for giving us this opportunity 
to come to the floor to express our sympathy to the people of Poland.
  Our country is blessed with many Polish Americans. It is a blessing 
to our country. They are mourning this loss, and all Americans join 
them. And today, Congress officially joins in that mourning.
  The United States and, indeed, the entire world mourn the loss of 
President Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynski and all who perished 
in last weekend's tragic crash. The United States stands with our 
friend and ally and the people of Poland as they grieve the loss of 
their President and First Lady, the Chiefs of the Army and Navy, the 
President of the National Bank, the Deputy Foreign Minister, and dozens 
of other Cabinet officials and members of Parliament.
  The scope of this tragedy is indescribable, the pain of the loss is 
unimaginable, and our thoughts and prayers rest with the families, 
friends, and loved ones of the victims. Their loss strikes a blow to 
the hearts of Polish citizens, all Polish Americans--my nieces are 
Polish American--and all who believe in a future of peace and 
prosperity for Poland and for every nation.
  I would like to talk about the President. Few leaders have proven 
greater champions of progress in human dignity than President 
Kaczynski. He was a true advocate of liberty for Poland, for Poland's 
families, workers, and citizens. His life was defined by a long 
struggle for freedom and by the ultimate victory of democracy and human 
rights.
  As a leader in the Solidarity movement, he helped turn the tides of 
history against the tyranny and oppression of communist rule. As Mayor 
of Warsaw and as President of Poland, he worked to make the promise of 
a more just future a reality for the Polish nation. Together with so 
many who lost their lives in the tragedy, President Kaczynski sought to 
rebuild Poland, to make his country safer and more secure, and to write 
a new chapter for future generations.
  Again, as I say, we have been blessed in our country with a strong 
Polish American community, and I know all of them join us in this 
resolution which remembers the lives lost in this horrible tragedy: the 
President; so many Polish military and political leaders, past and 
present; and distinguished citizens. It recalls the life of Poland's 
final President in exile who led the charge to close the doors of 
political oppression and open an age of democratic freedom.
  This resolution honors the life of a former dock worker whose actions 
ignited the Solidarity movement that changed the course of Polish 
history. The resolution reminds us of a Polish American artist from 
Chicago who just finished a memorial to the victims of the Katyn 
massacre, where his own father had perished.
  The United States Congress joins Poland and countries across the 
globe in mourning the death of such extraordinary leaders. In the words 
of this resolution, we express strong and continued solidarity with the 
people of Poland and all persons of Polish descent. And we are so 
blessed that the dean of our delegation in the Congress, Mr. Dingell, 
shares that honor and brings luster to his Polish heritage, as well as 
other Members of our Congress as well. And the resolution offers our 
unwavering support for the Polish Government as it works to overcome 
the loss of many key officials. Let us strive to live up to their 
legacy of hope for a brighter future for Poland, Europe, and all 
humanity.
  This morning, I had the privilege of joining Congresswoman Marcy 
Kaptur--and Congressman Mike Quigley

[[Page H2548]]

was there before us--and other Members who have gone to the Polish 
Embassy to sign the book of condolences. We are very proud that in 
doing so we joined President Barack Obama, who had earlier, a few days 
ago, signed that book. I know it is a comfort to the people of Poland. 
Ambassador Kupiecki, who may be with us here or shortly will join us in 
the gallery, told us how the people of Poland were so pleased and 
comforted by the fact that President Obama would be attending the 
funeral in Poland on Sunday. He will bring with him all the sympathy of 
the American people and all of the prayers to help mourn the loss that 
the people have suffered.
  Thank you again, Mr. Chairman and Madam Ros-Lehtinen, for giving us 
the opportunity to share our grief over this terrible loss.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that for the 
remainder of our time Judge Poe be allowed to manage our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, last night I spoke of the great tragedy 
that has befallen Poland. Today I rise to honor a great man, artist, 
and activist who was also killed in the crash that took Poland's 
President and 95 others. One of my constituents, Wojciech Seweryn, was 
aboard the plane on his way to participate in the commemorative events 
planned to honor those 20,000 Poles who died some 70 years ago.
  A Polish artist and influential member of Chicago's Polish community, 
Mr. Seweryn's father died at Katyn, and Seweryn himself spearheaded the 
construction of a memorial to the event in a cemetery in Niles, 
Illinois. Seweryn was on hand last year when the monument was 
dedicated, as he was at many important events in Chicago's Polish 
community.
  Poles in Chicago make up the largest ethnically Polish population of 
any city outside of Poland, second only to Warsaw, the capital of 
Poland. The Polish American community will undoubtedly struggle to fill 
the void left by many, but particularly Mr. Seweryn and all those lost 
a few short days ago.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentlelady 
from New York (Ms. Velazquez).
  (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
resolution. All of us mourn the loss of those who helped spread the 
light of freedom during the Cold War.
  Our Nation enjoys deep ties to Poland. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in my 
district, has one of the most vibrant Polish American communities in 
the Nation. During the 1980s, many Poles took refuge in this Little 
Poland when martial law was imposed against Solidarity back home.
  Just 2 years ago, President Kaczynski came to Greenpoint. He 
worshipped in our churches. He met with local leaders, and he visited 
with the people of Little Poland. His trip there was an inspiring 
moment for many New Yorkers. Today there are heavy hearts in 
Greenpoint, as there are in Polish American communities throughout the 
Nation.
  In coming weeks, the Polish people will grieve their loss. We join 
them in mourning, but we can be comforted that Poland will recover, 
carry forward, and grow stronger.
  The fact that this crash occurred while traveling to a ceremony for 
another tragedy is a sad irony; however, it also reminds us of the 
Polish people's strength in the face of adversity. That unyielding 
spirit shall remain an important part of Poland's identity and of her 
many sons and daughters who reside in the United States.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Ohio, Representative Kucinich.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Thank you very much, Mr. Delahunt.
  On Saturday, I received a call from the leader of Cleveland's Polish 
community, John Borkowski, who informed me of the tragedy that befell 
the nation of Poland.
  Cleveland has a very large Polish American community, which is very 
proud of its heritage and very involved in promoting the social and 
cultural aspects of the Polish ethnic heritage. The loss of the 
humblest citizen on that plane was a great tragedy for Poland. The 
total loss is a tragedy of monumental proportions.
  I am glad to see the United States Congress recognizing the tragedy 
that has befallen the Polish people and also joining in in mourning the 
loss of President Kaczynski, the First Lady, and 94 others.
  I would like to insert in the Record a column by Roger Cohen that I 
think puts an appropriate frame on this important discussion today in 
which we recognize the grief of the Polish people and show solidarity 
with them.
  Finally, I would just like to say, niech zyje Polska--long live 
Poland.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to express my strong support of and condolences 
for the people of Poland as they mourn the loss of their President, 
Lech Kaczynski, the First Lady, and 94 others after a tragic plane 
crash this past Saturday.
  In addition to President Kaczynski, his wife, and key public 
officials, prominent figures in Polish history perished in the plane 
crash as well--former labor leaders, intellectuals, and historians--
figures that shaped Polish history, revolutionized Polish political 
discourse, and preserved Polish heritage.
  In cruel irony, they were traveling to Russia to commemorate the 1940 
Katyn massacre when 20,000 Polish prisoners--including Army officers 
and the leading Polish intellectuals of the time--were brutally 
murdered by Soviet Forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin was to join 
the Polish delegation in their commemoration of the massacre, the first 
time a high-ranking Russian official has done so since the massacre 
occurred 70 years ago.
  Roger Cohen, writing yesterday in the New York Times, remarked, 
``Poland should shame every nation that believes peace and 
reconciliation are impossible, every state that believes that sacrifice 
of new generations is needed to avenge the grievances of history . . . 
It is Poland that is now at peace with its neighbors and stable. It is 
Poland that has joined Germany in the European Union. So do not tell me 
that cruel history cannot be overcome.''
  Let us use this unimaginable tragedy to follow Poland's example to 
promote peace, reconciliation, and diplomacy in the world.

                [From the New York Times, Apr. 13, 2010]

                          The Glory of Poland

                            (By Roger Cohen)

       New York.--My first thought, hearing of the Polish tragedy, 
     was that history's gyre can be of an unbearable cruelty, 
     decapitating Poland's elite twice in the same cursed place, 
     Katyn.
       My second was to call my old friend Adam Michnik in Warsaw. 
     Michnik, an intellectual imprisoned six times by the former 
     puppet-Soviet Communist rulers, once told me:
       ``Anyone who has suffered that humiliation, at some level, 
     wants revenge. I know all the lies. I saw people being 
     killed. But I also know that revanchism is never ending. And 
     my obsession has been that we should have a revolution that 
     does not resemble the French or Russian, but rather the 
     American, in the sense that it be for something, not against 
     something. A revolution for a constitution, not a paradise. 
     An anti-utopian revolution. Because utopias lead to the 
     guillotine and the gulag.''
       Michnik's obsession has yielded fruit. President Lech 
     Kaczynski is dead. Slawomir Skrzypek, the president of the 
     National Bank, is dead. An explosion in the fog of the forest 
     took them and 94 others on the way to Katyn. But Poland's 
     democracy has scarcely skipped a beat. The leader of the 
     lower house of Parliament has become acting president pending 
     an election. The first deputy president of the National Bank 
     has assumed the duties of the late president. Poland, oft 
     dismembered, even wiped from the map, is calm and at peace.
       ``Katyn is the place of death of the Polish 
     intelligentsia,'' Michnik, now the soul of Poland's 
     successful Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, said when I reached him 
     by phone. ``This is a terrible national tragedy. But in my 
     sadness I am optimistic because Putin's strong and wise 
     declaration has opened a new phase in Polish-Russian 
     relations, and because we Poles are showing we can be 
     responsible and stable.''
       Michnik was referring to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 
     words after he decided last week to join, for the first time, 
     Polish officials commemorating the anniversary of the murder 
     at Katyn of thousands of Polish officers by the Soviet Union 
     at the start of World War II. Putin, while defending the 
     Russian people, denounced the ``cynical lies'' that had 
     hidden the truth of Katyn, said ``there is no justification 
     for these crimes'' of a ``totalitarian regime'' and declared, 
     ``We should meet each other halfway, realizing that it is 
     impossible to live only in the past.''
       The declaration, dismissed by the paleolithic Russian 
     Communist Party, mattered

[[Page H2549]]

     less than Putin's presence, head bowed in that forest of 
     shame. Watching him beside Poland's prime minister, Donald 
     Tusk, I thought of Francois Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl hand-
     in-hand at Verdun in 1984: of such solemn moments of 
     reconciliation has the miracle of a Europe whole and free 
     been built. Now that Europe extends eastward toward the 
     Urals.
       I thought even of Willy Brandt on his knees in the Warsaw 
     Ghetto in 1970, a turning point on the road to a German-
     Polish reconciliation more miraculous in its way even than 
     the dawning of the post-war German-French alliance. And 
     now perhaps comes the most wondrous rapprochement, the 
     Polish-Russian.
       It is too early to say where Warsaw-Moscow relations are 
     headed but not too early to say that 96 lost souls would be 
     dishonored if Polish and Russian leaders do not make of this 
     tragedy a solemn bond. As Tusk told Putin, ``A word of truth 
     can mobilize two peoples looking for the road to 
     reconciliation. Are we capable of transforming a lie into 
     reconciliation? We must believe we can.''
       Poland should shame every nation that believes peace and 
     reconciliation are impossible, every state that believes the 
     sacrifice of new generations is needed to avenge the 
     grievances of history. The thing about competitive 
     victimhood, a favorite Middle Eastern pastime, is that it 
     condemns the children of today to join the long list of the 
     dead.
       For scarcely any nation has suffered since 1939 as Poland, 
     carved up by the Hitler-Stalin nonaggression pact, 
     transformed by the Nazis into the epicenter of their program 
     to annihilate European Jewry, land of Auschwitz and Majdanek, 
     killing field for millions of Christian Poles and millions of 
     Polish Jews, brave home to the Warsaw Uprising, Soviet pawn, 
     lonely Solidarity-led leader of post-Yalta Europe's fight for 
     freedom, a place where, as one of its great poets, Wislawa 
     Szymborska, wrote, ``History counts its skeletons in round 
     numbers''--20,000 of them at Katyn.
       It is this Poland that is now at peace with its neighbors 
     and stable. It is this Poland that has joined Germany in the 
     European Union. It is this Poland that has just seen the very 
     symbols of its tumultuous history (including the Gdansk dock 
     worker Anna Walentynowicz and former president-in-exile 
     Ryszard Kaczorowski) go down in a Soviet-made jet and 
     responded with dignity, according to the rule of law.
       So do not tell me that cruel history cannot be overcome. Do 
     not tell me that Israelis and Palestinians can never make 
     peace. Do not tell me that the people in the streets of 
     Bangkok and Bishkek and Tehran dream in vain of freedom and 
     democracy. Do not tell me that lies can stand forever.
       Ask the Poles. They know.

  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  (Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. PASCRELL. The very people who stand on this floor today spoke 
with us, Mr. Delahunt, 10 years ago, when we fought to make sure that 
Poland was a member of NATO. Ironically, as you stand to manage the 
resolution, House Resolution 1246, your career has been filled with 
building bridges between communities. This tragedy is ironic in that, 
hopefully, it will lead--and the signs are there--to greater 
relationships between Russia and Poland.
  Madam Speaker, Poland is our ally. In Saint John Kanty church in 
Clifton--in my district--and members in Passaic, in Wallington and in 
Garfield, there are Polish Americans who send out their deepest 
sympathies to the families.
  Picture the President of the United States, God forbid, and his 
family and all of the dignitaries of the government--the FBI, the head 
of the CIA--going to the 9/11 commemoration in New York City and the 
plane's going down and the whole government wiped out. This is the 
magnitude that we are looking at today. Our prayers go to the Polish 
people. We are all Poles today, and until all of these folks are 
buried, we wish them the best and their families the best.
  In closing, this is a very special friend of the United States of 
America.

                         Polish Outreach Letter

       I was deeply saddened to hear about the tragic plane crash 
     on April 10, 2010 that took the lives of 97 people, including 
     high ranking Polish government officials, dignitaries, 
     military leaders, President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, 
     Maria Kaczynska. President Kaczynski served the Polish nation 
     admirably, from his election as Mayor of Warsaw in 2002, to 
     his Presidential election in 2005. He worked tirelessly for 
     the people of Poland. His fight for freedom and democracy in 
     Poland made him a great ally for the United States.
       My deepest condolences go out to the Polish people, as well 
     as the Polish-American community during this time of 
     mourning. The tragic events of last week are made even more 
     poignant by the location of the crash site, as the flight was 
     en route to Smolensk Air Base in Russia to commemorate the 
     70th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre. The massacre of 
     20,000 Polish military officers in 1940 still resonates as 
     one of history's worst wartime atrocities. This horrific 
     event is magnified by the sudden loss of relatives of 
     massacre victims who were on board the flight traveling to 
     commemorate the anniversary.
       Remembering the Katyn Massacre and Poland's wartime 
     contributions is why I am a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 715, 
     recognizing the 70th anniversary of the Soviet and Nazi 
     invasion of Poland and the pivotal role Poland has assumed at 
     freedom's edge since gaining independence. This resolution 
     commends the people of Poland for their historic struggle 
     against communism and fascism, recognizes our continued 
     friendship with our Polish allies and honors the historic 
     ties between the United States and Poland.
       As you know, I am deeply committed to serving my many 
     constituents in the Polish-American Community. Please be 
     assured that I will continue to work hard to foster 
     relationships between our two nations, and to represent the 
     Polish American community in New Jersey. Please count on me 
     if ever I may assist you regarding any federal matter. I 
     would like to remind you that my website, 
     www.pascrell.house.gov is frequently updated and provides a 
     good way to communicate with me.
           Sincerely,

                                               Bill Pascrell, Jr.,

                                               Member of Congress.

  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to a distinguished 
member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentlewoman from Nevada 
(Ms. Berkley).
  Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman for giving me this time to offer 
my condolences to the people of Poland.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to join with Polish Americans, with our 
Nation and, indeed, with the whole world in expressing our deepest 
sympathies to the people of Poland following this weekend's tragedy 
that killed their President, the First Lady and a number of other 
Polish military and civic leaders and dignitaries. We remember these 
men and women who gave their lives while in the service of Poland, and 
we send our sincerest condolences to those families who have lost loved 
ones.
  President Kaczynski fought for freedom during the Cold War and 
brought our two nations closer together during his tenure in office. 
His legacy will not be forgotten. America stands with our ally Poland, 
and we pledge our continued support during this time of transition.
  As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and as chairman of 
the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue, I call on my colleagues to 
ensure U.S. support for Poland's needs after this heartbreaking and 
breathtaking incident and to support this resolution expressing our 
condolences to the people of Poland.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, thank you for bringing this resolution to 
the floor.
  Madam Speaker, on Saturday, I was emailed by Stanley Kobylak, a 
leader of the Polish community in the Toledo, Ohio/Rossford area, 
informing me of this tragic situation. I rise in support of this 
important resolution, offering sympathy to the liberty-loving nation 
and people of the Republic of Poland, our great ally.
  Poland is one of America's longest and most steadfast allies from the 
time of our own Republic's founding, made possible by the valiance of 
Polish Generals Casimir Pulaski and Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
  Poland's highest leaders, including its President and First Lady, 
Lech and Maria Kaczynski, were among the victims of that terrible crash 
as they wended their way to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 
Katyn massacre when over 22,000 Polish officers, intellectuals and 
leaders were murdered at the hands of Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Army 
in and around that forest during World War II. The truth of that 
slaughter was hidden for over 70 years, and now the entire world knows 
of that sacred ground.
  Madam Speaker, please allow me to extend condolences on behalf of my 
constituents in Ohio to the friends and

[[Page H2550]]

families of those who perished, to the people of Poland, to the nation 
of Poland, and to the people of Polish heritage throughout the world. 
Let this moment be one of recommitment to Poland's highest aspirations 
and full expression of its own history.
  So long as we are alive, there will be a Poland.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, we sometimes forget how great an ally Poland is to the 
United States. They have not only had a quest for freedom for their own 
people, but they have been an ally to this Nation. As the United States 
and other NATO countries are engaged in the battle against terrorism in 
Afghanistan, there are over 2,000 members of the Polish military who 
are there as well, side by side with the United States and with other 
NATO forces, the freedom fighters that they are, helping to seek 
freedom and liberty in Afghanistan and against those international 
terrorists who do us all harm.
  I think Mr. Pascrell, the gentleman from New Jersey, said it well 
today. ``We are all Poles,'' and we honor them, and we suffer their 
loss and their grief at this time because of the tragedy that occurred 
not only on Saturday but at the massacre that occurred in that forest 
in the Soviet Union many, many years ago.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. I would just echo the eloquent sentiments expressed by 
my friend from Texas.
  I have no further requests for time.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my 
sincere condolences to the People of Poland and all Americans of Polish 
descent who are grieving in the wake of the tragic plane crash on April 
10th in which President Lech Kaczynski and dozens of the country's top 
political and military leaders were killed.
  One out of every four inhabitants of Riverhead, New York in the first 
Congressional district of New York claim Polish heritage. This thriving 
ethnic enclave has been a growing community devoted to family, 
religion, and tradition since the turn of the twentieth century.
  After arriving in America, Polish families established family farms 
and villages throughout the East End of Long Island. Hard work enabled 
Riverhead's Polish Town to grow as new immigrants added their talents 
and skills to those of their neighbors, and the community's special 
character endures today.
  Madam Speaker, Poland and the United States share a long history of 
mutual support. In this Congress, General Casimir Pulaski, legendary 
Polish commander of the American Cavalry during the Revolutionary War, 
was given our nation's highest honor as an Honorary Citizen. Just as 
General Pulaski supported America in our hour of need, today we stand 
with all who are suffering from this terrible loss and pledge our 
continued support of Poland and its people.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise to join so many of my House 
colleagues in mourning the loss of President Lech Kaczynski and First 
Lady Maria Kaczynska, who died last Saturday in a plane crash in 
western Russia along with dozens of other distinguished civilian and 
military leaders of Poland. We mourn their loss and join in sending our 
sincere condolences to the people of Poland, and especially the family 
and friends of those who perished in this tragic accident.
  Poland is a close friend and ally of the United States. Our two 
countries are linked by longstanding ties of family and friendship. My 
home state of Michigan has a large and vibrant Polish-American 
community. We stand in solidarity with them during this difficult time 
as we pay our respects to all of those who were lost in this tragedy.
  I also wish to express my appreciation to Representatives Dahlkemper 
and Lipinski for introducing the resolution before the House. I am 
pleased to join them in cosponsoring it and urge its passage.
  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 1246 
with a heavy heart to express my deepest condolences to the country of 
Poland, its people, and the Polish American community. This weekend the 
country of Poland suffered a tragic loss. Saturday, I awoke to news 
that the president of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, Poland's first lady Maria 
Kaczynski, President of the Polish central bank, Slawomir Skrzypek, and 
many other high ranking military officials all died in a plane crash. 
The President and these other leaders were in route to Russia to 
commemorate the 70th anniversary of the tragic massacre at Katyn.
  Although these leaders will be missed, I have faith that many 
talented people in Poland will help their country emerge from this time 
of sorrow and mourning. I want to let the people of the country of 
Poland know that I and Metro Detroit's Polish American community extend 
our deepest sorrow and extend to you our thoughts and prayers in your 
time of need.
  Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, today, I offer my deepest condolences to 
the country of Poland, its citizens, and the families of President 
Kaczynski, his wife and all those killed on April 10, 2010. That is why 
I rise today in support of H. Res. 1246, a resolution expressing 
sympathy for the people of Poland in the aftermath of the tragic plane 
crash that killed the country's President, First Lady and 94 others 
this past Saturday.
  Implausibly, this untimely tragedy occurred while President Kaczynski 
was on his way to commemorate the unspeakable injustices carried out 
upon the Polish people during the Katyn massacre.
  His ability to commemorate this massacre alongside Russian leaders 
for the first time, speaks volumes to his skill and understanding as a 
politician and a world leader.
  Through my position on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the 
Subcommittee on Europe, I have witnessed President Kaczynski's efforts 
to strengthen US-Poland relations. He was truly one of America's most 
valued and trusted allies.
  His work for human rights and freedoms, not only benefited the people 
of Poland, but the entire international community. He will be long 
remembered and sorely missed.
  Most notably, he will remain a champion for democracy, a man whose 
journey took him from the Gdansk Shipyards to the presidency of a free 
people. His legend will live in the hearts and minds of all those who 
yearn for a better, more peaceful world.
  Mr. KING of New York. Madam Speaker, all the world mourns the 
horrific plane crash which took the lives of Polish President Lech 
Kaczynski, his wife Maria, and so many of Poland's leading political, 
military, and financial officials. This horrible tragedy will be felt 
for years to come by so many and my thoughts and prayers are with 
Poland on this day.
  I want to particularly acknowledge the tragic loss of Janusz 
Kochanowski. Dr. Kochanowski was a true scholar, a champion of human 
rights, and a good friend of the United States who unfortunately was on 
board that fateful flight. He was a lawyer, a professor, a diplomat, 
and most recently the Polish Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection 
(ombudsman). It was in this position that he was an outspoken advocate 
on behalf of the Polish people including rebuking his own government 
for its refusal to provide swine flu vaccines to the public amid the 
global panic.
  Once again, let me express my condolences to Dr. Kochanowski's wife, 
Ewa, and his two children, Marta and Mateusz, on this tragic loss.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 
1246 to pay tribute to Polish President Lech Kaczynski, First Lady 
Maria Kaczynska, and the other Polish officials who were lost in the 
catastrophic plane crash on April 10, 2010. I would like to express my 
deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the people and government of 
Poland, the families of those who perished, and Polish Americans, 
especially those who call Northwest Indiana home, in the wake of this 
tragedy. This is a devastating loss for Poland, the United States, and 
the world.
  Poland is a very dear friend to the United States, and President 
Kaczynski was one of America's valued and trusted allies. President 
Kaczynski played a key role in the Solidarity movement, and was widely 
admired in the United States as a champion for democracy and an 
advocate for freedom and human rights in Poland, and around the world.
  There is a significant sense of sadness throughout Indiana's First 
Congressional District, where Polish communities have gathered together 
to honor and mourn those lost. I share the sadness, and join the Polish 
people, in Northwest Indiana and around the world, in mourning.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1246.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam 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 motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________