[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16270-16273]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1545
 RECOGNIZING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT IN POLAND

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 328) recognizing the 25th anniversary of the 
workers' strikes in Poland in 1980 that led to the establishment of the 
Solidarity Trade Union, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 328

       Whereas, although Victory in Europe on May 8, 1945, 
     resulted in liberty and democracy in many nations, Poland and 
     other countries of Central and Eastern Europe fell behind the 
     repressive Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union;
       Whereas for more than four decades Poland and the nations 
     of the Soviet Bloc struggled under authoritarian rule;
       Whereas in June 1979, Pope John Paul II, the former 
     Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, returned to his homeland for the 
     first time and exhorted his countrymen to ``be not afraid'' 
     of the Communist regime;
       Whereas in July and August of 1980, Polish workers in the 
     shipyards of Gdansk and Szczecin went on strike to demand 
     greater political freedom;
       Whereas workers' committees, led by electrician Lech 
     Walesa, coordinated these strikes and ensured that the 
     strikes were peaceful and orderly;
       Whereas in August 1980, the Communist government of Poland 
     yielded to the 21 demands of the striking workers, including 
     the release of all political prisoners, the broadcasting of 
     religious services on television and radio, and the right to 
     establish independent trade unions;
       Whereas the Communist government of Poland introduced 
     martial law in December 1981 in an attempt to block the 
     growing influence of the Solidarity movement;
       Whereas the Solidarity Trade Union and its 10,000,000 
     members became a great social movement committed to promoting 
     fundamental human rights, democracy, and Polish independence 
     from the Soviet Union;
       Whereas in February 1989, the Communist government of 
     Poland agreed to conduct talks with the Solidarity Trade 
     Union that led to elections to the National Assembly in June 
     of that year, in which nearly all open seats were won by 
     candidates supported by the Solidarity Trade Union, and led 
     soon after to the election of Poland's first non-Communist 
     Prime Minister in the post-war era, Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki;
       Whereas the Solidarity movement ended communism in Poland 
     without bloodshed, inspiring other nations under Soviet 
     control to do the same and playing an important role in the 
     fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe;
       Whereas on November 15, 1989, Lech Walesa gave an historic 
     speech before a joint meeting of the United States Congress 
     with the opening remarks ``We the People. . .'', which 
     stirred a standing ovation from the Members of Congress;
       Whereas on December 9, 1990, Lech Walesa was elected 
     President of Poland;
       Whereas the support of the United States and the Polish-
     American community was essential to the survival and success 
     of the Solidarity movement; and
       Whereas a bond of friendship exists between the United 
     States and Poland, which is among the strongest allies of the 
     United States, a contributing partner in the North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization (NATO), a reliable partner in the Global 
     War on Terrorism, and a key contributor in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the 25th anniversary of the workers' strikes 
     in Poland that led to establishment of the Solidarity Trade 
     Union;
       (2) honors the struggle and sacrifice of the citizens of 
     Poland who risked their lives to restore democracy to their 
     country and to return Poland to the democratic community of 
     nations; and
       (3) offers Poland as a model for other nations struggling 
     to emerge from authoritarian rule and establish a flourishing 
     representative government.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of South Carolina). Pursuant to 
the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which 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 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 328 recognizes the 25th-year 
anniversary of

[[Page 16271]]

the Solidarity movement in Poland and conveys our recognition of 
Solidarity's important role in setting in motion the liberation of the 
Eastern and Central European nations and the fall of the Soviet Union. 
It also honors the struggle and the sacrifice of the people of Poland 
who risked their lives to restore democracy to their country.
  Solidarity began in the shipyards, with Polish workers refusing to 
submit to the tyranny of the Communist regime in Poland, even after 40 
years of oppression. A local electrician, Lech Walesa, coordinated the 
Solidarity strikes and ensured that the strikes were peaceful and 
orderly.
  After months of strikes, the Communist government yielded to the 
striking workers' demands, including the release of all political 
prisoners, the broadcasting of religious services on television and 
radio, and the right to establish independent trade unions.
  Throughout the 1980s, Solidarity grew to become a national movement, 
with 10 million members. Lech Walesa went on to become Poland's first 
President after the fall of the Berlin wall. Solidarity was also 
critical in establishing the democratic institutions that flourish in 
Poland today and in creating a catalyst for the spread of freedom in 
the former Soviet bloc.
  I strongly support House Resolution 328, which passed by voice vote 
during a subcommittee markup and by unanimous consent before the full 
Committee on International Relations.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution has strong bipartisan support, including 
the distinguished ranking member of the House Committee on 
International Relations, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), my 
good friend. I urge the passage of House Resolution 328.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution, 
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), my distinguished colleague, for her work on 
this resolution and all human rights issues and issues relating to the 
advancement of democracy globally.
  Mr. Speaker, the single most important event in the second half of 
the 20th century was the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and 
the end of Soviet hegemony over Central and Eastern Europe.
  Many organizations played important roles in this political tectonic 
shift. Today, we are marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of 
one of those most important organizations, the Solidarity trade union 
movement of Poland, and we are paying tribute to the founder of 
Solidarity, one of the key players in bringing an end to Communism in 
Poland, the electrician from Gdansk, Lech Walesa.
  Mr. Speaker, the worker strikes in Poland in 1980 and the almost 
spontaneous springing up of the Solidarity union movement was a 
critical event in the demise of Communism. As union members made their 
demands for reform known, and as the popularity of Solidarity's leader 
Lech Walesa soared in Poland and beyond, both Warsaw and Moscow became 
increasingly apprehensive. Solidarity was seen as a real political 
alternative to the Communist government. So the Soviet military 
conducted maneuvers on Poland's borders. The Warsaw government arrested 
Walesa and other Solidarity leaders. It banned the movement and imposed 
martial law throughout Poland.
  As my colleagues know, Mr. Speaker, Lech Walesa received the Nobel 
Peace Prize, but he could not leave Poland to accept it. Solidarity 
continued its activities underground. In 1988, a new wave of strikes 
broke out in Poland, and chief among the strikers' demands was that 
Solidarity be recognized. Finally, in April of 1989, Solidarity was 
recognized by the Polish Government. In relatively free elections in 
June of that year, Solidarity candidates won 99 out of 100 seats in the 
Senate of the Polish parliament and every single seat for which 
Solidarity candidates were permitted to run in the lower House. That 
election represented such a powerful repudiation of the Polish 
Communist Government that it no longer had the political credibility to 
govern that country.
  Lech Walesa, my friend, went on to become Poland's first 
democratically elected President since the Second World War.
  As we pay tribute to the 25th anniversary of the founding of 
Solidarity, it is critical that we remember the assistance that was 
given to Solidarity by our own American labor movement. Then AFL-CIO 
President Lane Kirk-
land and the American labor movement provided absolutely critical 
moral, material, and political support to the workers of Poland during 
their struggle in the 1980s.
  I had the privilege of traveling to Warsaw to meet with Lech Walesa 
with Lane Kirkland, and to be in the presence of those two great labor 
leaders was a truly memorable experience.
  At a memorial service for Lane Kirkland, Henry Kissinger recalled a 
dinner he had arranged for Kirkland with two top officials of the 
administration who were shocked to receive the ``Kirkland treatment,'' 
a scathing attack on their failure to do enough for the freedom 
movements in Poland and around the world. At the memorial service, 
Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa said, ``I never had enough opportunity to 
thank Lane Kirkland for his enormous contribution for our struggle.''
  Mr. Speaker, the 25th anniversary of the founding of Solidarity is an 
appropriate time for us to reflect upon the historic changes that 
convulsed the Soviet Union and Central Europe 15 years ago. Solidarity 
was an important catalyst in that transformation. We honor the struggle 
and sacrifice of the workers of Poland and the leaders of Solidarity 
who risked their lives to restore democracy to their homeland.
  Poland has been a member of NATO for 8 years and recently became a 
full member of the European Union. These actions would not have taken 
place without the leadership of Lech Walesa and his colleagues in the 
Solidarity movement. I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 328, 
recognizing the 25th anniversary of the workers' strikes in Poland that 
led to the founding of Solidarity.
  Mr. Speaker, Stalin once said that trying to impose communism on 
Poland was like trying to put a saddle on a cow. As history showed, 
that was one time the Soviet Union's dictator was right. From the end 
of World War II, when the Soviet Union spread its suffocating net 
across a Central Europe devastated by war, Poles struggled to be free. 
Time and again, from the 1956 riots in Poznan, when workers took to the 
streets ``For Bread and For Freedom,'' through the intellectual 
upheavals of the 1960s, Poles struggled to stretch the boundaries of 
freedom. Each time, they came closer, but each time they were pulled 
back into the Soviet fold.
  The year 1976 marked an historic turning point. In that year, Polish 
intellectuals stood outside the court room door while workers stood 
inside, waiting for verdicts to be meted out against them for their 
strikes at the Ursus tractor factory. At those trials, only family 
members were allowed to be present. And, as one onerous prison sentence 
after another was handed down, the intellectuals standing outside the 
courtroom would hear only the sobs of family members. The harshness of 
the regime only served to galvanize opposition to it.
  By 1980, when the workers struck in Gdansk, they were no longer 
alone; they were joined by intellectuals who had been pursuing a 
parallel path. The newly elected, Polish-born Pope, John Paul II, had 
countenanced his countrymen and women to ``be not afraid.'' And an 
extraordinary individual, Lech Walesa, scaled the walls at the Lenin 
shipyard in Gdansk to lead his country to a place in history. The 
Gdansk shipyard workers had 31 demands, one of which was a call for the 
Polish Government to fulfill its obligations it had under the in the 
1976 Helsinki Final Act.
  By December 13, 1981, the Soviet Union had seen enough of this Polish 
experiment and martial law was imposed. But, it seems, the power of the 
people could not be truly repressed. The joining of workers and 
intellectuals in Poland produced the only mass dissident movement in 
all of Eastern Europe. In spite of mass arrests and other forms of 
repression during the 1980s, Solidarity remained a force with which to 
be reckoned and, by 1988, the tide was inexorably turning. In that

[[Page 16272]]

year, Janusz Onyszkiewicz [YAN-oosh oh-nish-KAI-a-vich], a Solidarity 
activist who--in a few years time--would be Minister of Defense, came 
to Washington and testified before the Helsinki Commission about the 
human rights situation in his country. It was the first time a 
dissident from an East European Communist country had testified before 
Congress and then actually returned to his country. Although 
authorities briefly considered bringing criminal charges against him 
for his daring appearance before the Helsinki Commission, those plans 
were quickly abandoned.
  By 1989, Solidarity's disciplined strikes had forced Communist 
officials to the negotiating table. These so-called ``Round-Table 
Talks'' produced an agreement to allow a fraction of the seats in 
parliament to be openly contested in June elections--the proverbial 
camel's nose under the tent. In July, when Tadeusz Mazowiecki [tah-DAY-
oosh maz-oh-VIET-ski] was elected Poland's first non-Communist Prime 
Minister in the post-War era, a delegation from the Helsinki 
Commission, led by Senator DeConcini, sat in the gallery of the 
parliament and watched this extraordinary moment unfold.
  Mr. Speaker, there are many factors that led to the collapse of 
communism, and many heroes--some tragically fallen--who deserve credit 
for restoring freedom to Eastern Europe. The Solidarity Trade Union 
played a singular role in achieving that great goal, and I give my 
wholehearted support to this resolution which honors the men and women 
of that movement.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 25th 
anniversary of the Workers' Strikes in Poland. In commemorating these 
strikes, we are remembering the birth of a movement which led to the 
fall of communism in Poland and, later, Europe.
  The strikes began as workers across Poland protested the nearly 80% 
rise in meat prices. In the northern city of Gdansk, workers protested 
in response to the dismissal of two workers on the grounds of political 
agitation. The Lenin Shipyard workers staged a sit-in and demanded the 
reinstatement of electrician Lech Walesa and crane operator Anna 
Walentynowich. The workers realized the power of their unity and chose 
to name their strike bulletin Solidarnosc or Solidarity. Soon after, 
the first independent trade-union faction emerged and the Solidarity 
movement was born.
  In cooperation with intellectuals, the Gdansk Shipyard strikers 
created the famed list of 21 demands. The Solidarity Movement boasted 
members from almost all groups and social classes--all of whom opposed 
the Moscow-backed regime. This unity was a first in the history of 
Poland. In December of 1981 the Communist government of Poland 
implemented martial law in hopes of combating the Solidarity Movement's 
vast popularity.
  Despite the best efforts of the communist government, another strike 
wave occurred in 1988. The regime decided it must try to share its 
power with the opposition. The elections of June of 1989 brought the 
Solidarity Movement to power and Poland was able to set up a non-
communist government. The victory of the Poles served as an example to 
the rest of Europe and is credited with leading to the historic fall of 
the Berlin wall five months later.
  When the Solidarity Party took power in 1989, the basic political 
transition and the implementation of a market economy posed many 
challenges. Furthermore, they faced the daunting task of overcoming the 
social mind-set resulting from years of communist rule. Nonetheless, in 
January of 1990, the government sought to realize substantial reform 
goals. The conversion was not easy and the market-economy caused an 
economic crisis in 1992. However, true to their history, the Poles 
overcame this obstacle. We should all look to our great ally as a model 
of determination, resilience and loyalty.
  Over 11 million Americans claim Polish ancestry, nearly 900,000 of 
whom live in my home state of Michigan. Polish-Americans, like me, are 
proud of our heritage and Poland has shown itself to be a true ally of 
the U.S., most recently in Iraq. They have supported us in our struggle 
against global terrorism, in Afghanistan and assumed a leading role in 
Iraq. Two-hundred Polish troops are currently serving in Bagram, 
Afghanistan and our alliance with Poland remains one of our vital 
relationships. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in 
recognizing the 25th anniversary of a momentous event in the history of 
one of our strongest allies and greatest friends. The strikes in Poland 
will always be remembered for their important role in Polish 
democratization and, consequently, the end of the Cold War.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of 
H. Res. 328, and I rise on behalf of the more than 111,000 of my 
constituents who are of Polish descent to recognize the 25th 
anniversary of the workers' strikes in Poland in 1980. These strikes 
pressured the government to recognize the Solidarity Trade Union and, 
eventually, to enact fundamental changes in the government in Poland. 
It is my privilege to join with Poland, friends of Poland and people of 
Polish descent around the world in honoring this historic date.
  The summer of 1980 was a turbulent time in Poland. Soviet domination 
resulted not only in political oppression but in deep economic crisis. 
In response to these conditions, workers were striking in several 
cities across the country. In 1979, the visit by Pope John II added to 
the hope and desire of all Polish people for change and demonstrated 
the possibility of mass independent movements.
  The Independent and Self-Governing Solidarity Trade Union was 
established as a result of the Gdansk Accords signed on August 31, 1980 
between striking workers and the communist government. In this 
agreement the government conceded to striking workers' requests and 
allowed them to form free trade unions, independent from the government 
and communist party, an unprecedented situation under the Iron Curtain.
  By signing the accords the communist government hoped to appease 
workers while entrenching their power. To the government's great 
disappointment, the Solidarity Trade Union grew rapidly. By 1981, 
Solidarity boasted an unparalleled membership of nearly 10 million 
workers or more than a half of the Polish labor force and almost one 
third of the entire population. Employees from all sectors of economy 
and positions joined en masse, including workers, professionals, 
intellectuals, students and members of political opposition. The 
Solidarity Trade Union became a huge social and political movement, 
representing the Polish nation's aspirations for freedom, democracy and 
better living conditions after more than thirty-five years of communism 
and Soviet control.
  However, the road to freedom was not easy. Seeing how popular and 
powerful the union was becoming, the communist government of Poland 
imposed Martial Law in 1981, followed by persecution, imprisonment and 
forced emigration of many Solidarity members, including Lech Walesa. 
Nonetheless, the banned Solidarity Trade Union kept aggravating both 
within Poland and abroad with the instrumental support of Pope John 
Paul II.
  In 1989, the will of millions prevailed: the communist government 
gave in and held talks with the Solidarity Trade Union. These ``round 
table negotiations'' resulted in free elections to the National 
Assembly, won almost completely by candidates supported by the 
Solidarity Trade Union. Subsequently, the noncommunist prime minister 
was elected later that year, and in 1990, Lech Walesa, a former worker-
electrician and the leader of the Solidarity Trade Union who had been 
instrumental in workers' strikes of 1980 and in the Gdansk Accords, 
became the first elected president of the newly non-communist Poland. 
Communism was peacefully overthrown.
  Within a year, following the Polish example, the regimes in the Czech 
Republic, Hungary and East Germany had fallen. By 1991, communism was 
overthrown throughout Europe thanks to the inspiration of the 
Solidarity Trade Union.
  With its long and rich history and traditions, Poland regained its 
rightful place among free and independent nations, first as a 
contributing partner in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, 
and last year, as a full member of the European Union. Today, Poland 
continues to be our staunch ally and steadfast friend in Europe in our 
fight against terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my 111,000 Polish American constituents, I 
am honored to recognize this important anniversary and honor the events 
in Poland 25 years ago that helped restore freedom and democracy in 
Poland and throughout Europe.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 328, a resolution recognizing the 25th anniversary of the workers' 
strikes in Poland in 1980 that led to the establishment of the 
Solidarity Trade Union.
  This legislation praises Polish workers in the shipyards of Gdansk 
and Szczecin for rising up against the repressive Soviet controlled 
communist regime in demand of greater political freedom. The actions of 
these courageous and peaceful individuals were directly responsible for 
the establishment of the Solidarity Trade Union, a profound social 
movement that ultimately ended communism in Poland without bloodshed.
  This resolution rightly expresses the sense of Congress that our 
government should recognize and honor the struggle and sacrifice of the 
citizens of Poland, whose tireless efforts succeeded in restoring 
democracy to their country while simultaneously highlighting the 
correlation between organized labor and strong democratic institutions.

[[Page 16273]]

  Now, more than ever, it is important that Congress pay tribute to, 
and support, those nations that willingly and actively allow the 
unimpeded formation of labor unions. For it is those countries that 
exhibit the most free and fair democratic policies. No such phenomenon 
is better exemplified than in the case of the Solidarity Trade Union. 
The formation of this important group ultimately led to the election of 
Poland's first post World War II non-communist Prime Minister, Mr. 
Tadeusz Mazawiecki.
  Mr. Speaker, let me conclude by again expressing my support for this 
legislation and encourage my colleagues' support. It should be a 
priority of this Congress to pay homage to members of the Solidarity 
Trade Union on the 25th anniversary of its inception and acknowledge 
the ensuing bond of friendship that has flourished between our two 
nations on account of workers' rights.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 328, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. 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.

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