[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 192 (Tuesday, December 3, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VELVET REVOLUTION

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 3, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the thirtieth 
anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, a significant anniversary for two 
of America's closest allies--the Czech and Slovak Republics.
  Only eight days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the same spirit of 
freedom that overcame Berlin made its way to Prague. On November 17, 
1989, the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia freed itself from 
four decades of a communist totalitarian regime, transforming 
authoritarian rule of the nation into democracy. Initiated by student 
protesters in the streets, the protest of the regime and the demand for 
democracy quickly gained momentum with over a half-million Czechs and 
Slovaks filling Prague's streets and taking over Wenceslas Square.
  Soldiers beat protesters, used water cannons on the crowd, and made 
numerous arrests during this time. However, the demonstrators remained 
peaceful. By the end of 1989, Czechoslovakia was on its way to holding 
its first presidential election since 1948. The successful movement is 
now referred to as the ``Velvet Revolution'' or the ``Gentle 
Revolution,'' which signifies the idea that the revolution was brought 
about without violence.
  The years following the Velvet Revolution brought the ``Velvet 
Divorce,'' the unofficial name given to the separation of the 
Czechoslovakia into two nations: the Czech Republic and the Slovak 
Republic. Through peaceful mutual consent, Czechoslovakia separated on 
January 1, 1993. To solidify their places on the world stage and 
showcase their commitment to democracy, the Czech and Slovak Republics 
formally became members of the European Union, the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization (NATO), and the United Nations.
  It is also worth mentioning that the Czech Republic has a local tie 
to Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. When applying for admission 
into NATO, the Czech Republic had the official documents signed at the 
Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri in 1999. The 
induction ceremony that took place included Poland and Hungary, and 
marked the first eastward expansion by NATO since the end of the Cold 
War.
  Madam Speaker, please join me and all of Missouri's Fifth 
Congressional District in congratulating the Czech Republic and Slovak 
Republic for their achievements in independence and their efforts in 
promoting democracy

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