[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 149 (Saturday, August 22, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       AMERICAN TROOPS IN POLAND

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                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, August 22, 2020

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, this past week was a 
tremendous success for the Polish-U.S. Alliance. U.S. Secretary of 
State Mike Pompeo sealed a defense cooperation agreement Saturday with 
Polish officials that will pave the way to deploy more American troops 
to Poland. President Donald Trump has fulfilled promises made, promises 
kept, to protect the citizens of Poland discouraging Putin threats.
  Pompeo signed the deal with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak 
that sets out the legal framework for the additional troops.
  The agreement would also further other aspects of U.S.-Polish 
cooperation primarily in investment and trade ties.
  Poland has agreed to construct multiple facilities to support more 
U.S. troops operating in that country. Some 4,500 U.S. troops are 
currently based in Poland, but about 1,000 more are to be added. 
President Andrezej Duda of Poland has proudly cited this could be named 
Fort Trump.
  The pact signed Saturday supplements NATO efforts, and allows for the 
enhancement and modernization of existing capabilities and facilities 
by allowing U.S. forces to access additional Polish military 
installations. It also sets out a formula for sharing the logistical 
and infrastructure costs of an expanded U.S. presence in the country.
  This complements additional NATO troops to be stationed in the Baltic 
Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, These German, French, and 
British assets reinforce the vibrancy of NATO to deter Putin aggression 
with peace through strength.
  It is especially meaningful as we sadly remember the infamous Nazi 
and Soviet invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which was schemed 
by the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact, leading to killing millions of Poles, 
the Holocaust, and the Katyn Forest massacre of 22,000 Polish military, 
scholars, law enforcement, and security personnel by Soviet Red Army 
troops.

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