[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 31825-31826]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING ERIKA B. SCHLAGER'S 20 YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE COMMISSION 
                 ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 15, 2007

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to pay 
tribute to Erika Schlager for her 20 years of tireless service to the 
U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Helsinki 
Commission. Erika began her advocacy work as a member of the 
Commission's professional staff on September 8, 1987, during a period 
marked by repression and widespread violations of human rights and 
fundamental freedoms in Central and Eastern Europe, the region of her 
particular expertise.
  Driven by a passion for upholding the human rights commitments 
enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights and other international instruments, Erika devoted herself to 
documenting the cases of political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, 
and others denied their fundamental freedoms. Her focus on the 
countries

[[Page 31826]]

of the region began with her academic studies as well as her personal 
experience. Indeed, Erika was in Poland for further studies when the 
regime imposed martial law in late 1981. Shortly after she joined the 
Commission staff, she helped organize a delegation of members to 
Czechoslovakia where, among other activities, they planned to meet 
playwright and Charter 77 founder Vaclav Havel. The courageous rights 
leader was detained by the secret police and prevented from meeting the 
delegation. Erika was an ardent champion on his behalf as well as for 
those lesser known victims of repression. She was able to accompany a 
delegation of Commissioners to Poland in 1989 to witness the 
installation of the first democratically elected government there in 
more than 6 decades. Her diligent monitoring of developments in these 
countries continues as those nations move to further consolidate 
democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
  An impressive expert in the field of international law, Erika 
continues her advocacy in areas such as the plight of Roma and property 
restitution for victims of the Holocaust to the challenge of preserving 
human rights in a post-9/11 world.
  Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I am pleased 
to recognize and commend Erika Schlager for her faithful, dedicated, 
and tireless service to me and my colleagues.

                          ____________________