106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 68

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas on September 3, 1918, the United States Government recognized the Czecho-Slovak National Council as

the official Government of Czechoslovakia;

Whereas on October 28, 1918, the peoples of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Silesia, comprising the present Czech Republic, and peoples of Slovakia, comprising the present

Slovak Republic, proclaimed their independence in a common state of the Czechoslovak Republic;

Whereas on November 17, 1939, the Czech institutions of

higher learning were closed by the Nazis, many students

were taken to concentration camps, and nine representatives of the student movement were executed

Whereas between 1938 and 1945, the Nazis annexed part of

Bohemia, set up a fascist ‘‘protectorate’’ in the rest of

Bohemia and in Moravia, and installed a puppet fascist

government in Slovakia;

Whereas the Communists seized power from the democratically elected government of Czechoslovakia in March

1948;

Whereas troops from Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968, ousted the reformist government of Alexander Dubcek, and restored a hard-line communist regime;
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SCON 68 ES

Whereas on November 17, 1989, the brutal break up of a

student demonstration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the execution of Czech student leaders and the

closure of universities by the Nazis triggered the explosion of mass discontent that launched the Velvet Revolution, which was characterized by reliance on nonviolence

and open public discourse;

Whereas the peoples of Czechoslovakia overthrew 40-years of

totalitarian communist rule in order to rebuild a democratic society;

Whereas since November 17, 1989, the people of the Czech

and Slovak Republics have established a vibrant, pluralistic, democratic political system based upon freedom of

speech, a free press, free and fair open elections, the rule

of law, and other democratic principles and practices as

they were recognized by President Wilson and President

Thomas G. Masaryk;

Whereas the Czech Republic joined the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization on March 12, 1999, the admission of which

was approved by the Senate of the United States on April

30, 1998;

Whereas the Czech and Slovak Republics are in the process

of preparing for admission to the European Union;

Whereas the people of the United States and the Czech and

Slovak Republics have maintained a special relationship

based on shared democratic values, common interests,

and bonds of friendship and mutual respect; and

Whereas the American people have an affinity with the peoples of the Czech and Slovak Republics and regard the

Czech and Slovak Republics as trusted and important

partners: Now, therefore, be it
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SCON 68 ES

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) recognizes the 10th anniversary of the his4 toric events in Central and Eastern Europe that

5 brought about the collapse of the communist regimes

6 and the fall of the Iron Curtain, and commemorates

7 with the Czech and Slovak Republics the 10th anni8 versary of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia,

9 which underscores the significance and value of re10 claimed freedom and the dignity of individual citi11 zens;

12 (2) commends the peoples of the present Czech

13 and Slovak Republics for their achievements in

14 building new states and pluralistic democratic soci15 eties nearly 60 years of totalitarian fascist and com16 munist rule;

17 (3) supports the peoples of the Czech and Slo18 vak Republics in their determination to join trans19 Atlantic institutions through memberships in the

20 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and

21 the European Union;

22 (4) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and close

23 cooperation that have existed between the United

24 States and the Czech and Slovak Republics; and
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1 (5) extends the warmest congratulations and

2 best wishes to the Czech Republic and Slovak Re3 public and their people for a peaceful, prosperous,

4 and successful future.

Passed the Senate November 8, 1999.

Attest:

Secretary.
106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 68

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress on the occasion

of the 10th anniversary of historic events in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the VelvetRevolution in Czechoslovakia, and reaffirmingthe bonds of friendship and cooperation betweenthe United States and the Czech and Slovak Republics.