[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H2557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SYMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE OF POLAND

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deepest sympathy to the 
people of Poland in the wake of last week's tragic plane crash and to 
express my support for the resolution by the gentlelady from 
Pennsylvania that we passed this afternoon.
  Polish President Lech Kaczynski, along with his wife Maria, the First 
Lady, military chiefs, civil leaders from across the political 
spectrum, and senior religious clergy perished in Saturday's crash on 
their way to Katyn, Russia, to commemorate another great tragedy in 
Poland's history.
  At a time when global and domestic strife dominate our consciousness, 
these leaders were traveling in a historic effort to heal the deep 
wounds of the Katyn massacre in Polish and Russian history. These were 
men and women who stood up to tyranny and helped shape their nation's 
democratic transformation, but this loss was not Poland's alone.
  From the outpouring of support by our Nation's 9 million Americans of 
Polish descent, including those in New York's 21st Congressional 
District, and my very own family, to the President and First Lady's 
attendance at President Kaczynski's funeral this Sunday, America stands 
next to Poland in mourning. The solidarity of the Polish people in 
their grief and their quiet resolve to carry on is an inspiration to us 
all. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were 
lost and all those that they have led.

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