III

Calendar No. 727

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 131

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the workers’ strikes in Poland that

led to the creation of the independent trade union Solidarnos ́c

 ́

, and

for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JULY 18, 2000

Mr. ROTH (for himself and Mr. BIDEN) submitted the following concurrent

resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

JULY 27, 2000

Reported by Mr. HELMS, with an amendment, amendments to the preamble,

and an amendment to the title

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the workers’ strikes

in Poland that led to the creation of the independent

trade union Solidarnos ́c

 ́

, and for other purposes.

Whereas, in July and August of 1980, Polish workers went

on strike to protest communist oppression and demand

greater political freedom;

Whereas, in the shipyards of Gdansk and Szczecin, workers’

committees coordinated these strikes and ensured that
2

•SCON 131 RS

the strikes were peaceful and orderly and did not promote acts of violence;

Whereas workers’ protests against the communist authorities

in Poland were supported by the Polish people and the

international community of democracies;

Whereas, on August 30 and 31 of 1980, the communist government of the People’s Republic of Poland yielded to the

21 demands of the striking workers, including the release

of all political prisoners, including Jacek Kuron and

Adam Michnik, the broadcasting of religious services on

television and radio, and the right to establish independent trade unions;

Whereas from these agreements emerged Solidarnos ́c

 ́

, the

first independent trade union in the communist bloc, led

by Lech Walesa, an electrician from Gdansk;

Whereas Solidarnos ́c

 ́ and its 10,000,000 members became a

great social movement in Poland that was committed to

promoting fundamental human rights, democracy, and

Polish independence;

Whereas, during its first congress in 1981, Solidarnos ́c

 ́ issued

a proclamation urging workers in Soviet-bloc countries to

resist their communist governments and to struggle for

freedom and democracy;

Whereas the communist government of Poland introduced

martial law in December 1981 in an attempt to block the

growing political and social influence of the Solidarnos ́c

 ́

movement;

Whereas Solidarnos ́c

 ́ remained a powerful and political force

that resisted the efforts of Poland’s communist government to suppress the desire of the Polish people for free-
3

•SCON 131 RS

dom, democracy, and independence from the Soviet

Union;

Whereas, in February 1999 1989, the communist government

of Poland agreed to conduct roundtable talks with

Solidarnos ́c

 ́ 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 Solidarnos ́c

 ́

;

Whereas, on August 19, 1999 1989, Solidarity leader

Tadeusz Mazowiecki was asked to serve as Prime Minister of Poland and on September 12, 1999 1989, the

Polish Sejm voted to approve Prime Minister Mazowiecki

and his cabinet, Poland’s first noncommunist government

in 4 decades;

Whereas, on December 9, 1990, Lech Walesa was elected

President of Poland;

Whereas the Solidarnos ́c

 ́ movement, by its courage and example, initiated political transformations in other countries

in Central and Eastern Europe and thereby initiated the

collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989; and

Whereas, since the time Poland freed itself from communist

domination, Polish-American relations have transformed

from partnership to alliance, a transition marked by Poland’s historic accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in March 1999: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That Congress—

3 (1) commemorates the 20th anniversary of the work4 ers’ strikes in Poland that lead led to the creation of the

independent trade union Solidarnos ́c

 ́ 5 ; and
4

•SCON 131 RS

1 (2) honors the leaders of Poland who risked and lost

2 their lives in attempting to restore democracy in their

3 country and to return Poland to the democratic commu4 nity of nations.

Amend the title to read as follows: ‘‘Concurrent resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of the workers’ strikes in Poland that led to the creation of the independent trade union Solidarnos ́

c

 ́

, and for other purposes.’’.
S.L.C.

Calendar No. ll

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 131

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JULY 18, 2000

Mr. ROTH (for himself and Mr. BIDEN) submitted the following concurrent

resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

JULY lll (legislative day, llllll), 2000

Reported by Mr. HELMS, with an amendment to the text, amendments to the

preamble, and an amendment to the title

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the workers’ strikes

in Poland that led to the creation of the independent

trade union Solidarnos ́c

 ́

, and for other purposes.

Whereas, in July and August of 1980, Polish workers went

on strike to protest communist oppression and demand

greater political freedom;

Whereas, in the shipyards of Gdansk and Szczecin, workers’

committees coordinated these strikes and ensured that

the strikes were peaceful and orderly and did not promote acts of violence;
2

S.L.C.

Whereas workers’ protests against the communist authorities

in Poland were supported by the Polish people and the

international community of democracies;

Whereas, on August 30 and 31 of 1980, the communist government of the People’s Republic of Poland yielded to the

21 demands of the striking workers, including the release

of all political prisoners, including Jacek Kuron and

Adam Michnik, the broadcasting of religious services on

television and radio, and the right to establish independent trade unions;

Whereas from these agreements emerged Solidarnos ́c

 ́

, the

first independent trade union in the communist bloc, led

by Lech Walesa, an electrician from Gdansk;

Whereas Solidarnos ́c

 ́ and its 10,000,000 members became a

great social movement in Poland that was committed to

promoting fundamental human rights, democracy, and

Polish independence;

Whereas, during its first congress in 1981, Solidarnos ́c

 ́ issued

a proclamation urging workers in Soviet-bloc countries to

resist their communist governments and to struggle for

freedom and democracy;

Whereas the communist government of Poland introduced

martial law in December 1981 in an attempt to block the

growing political and social influence of the Solidarnos ́c

 ́

movement;

Whereas Solidarnos ́c

 ́ remained a powerful and political force

that resisted the efforts of Poland’s communist government to suppress the desire of the Polish people for freedom, democracy, and independence from the Soviet

Union;
3

S.L.C.

Whereas, in February 1999 1989, the communist government

of Poland agreed to conduct roundtable talks with

Solidarnos ́c

 ́ 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 Solidarnos ́c

 ́

;

Whereas, on August 19, 1999 1989, Solidarity leader

Tadeusz Mazowiecki was asked to serve as Prime Minister of Poland and on September 12, 1999 1989, the

Polish Sejm voted to approve Prime Minister Mazowiecki

and his cabinet, Poland’s first noncommunist government

in 4 decades;

Whereas, on December 9, 1990, Lech Walesa was elected

President of Poland;

Whereas the Solidarnos ́c

 ́ movement, by its courage and example, initiated political transformations in other countries

in Central and Eastern Europe and thereby initiated the

collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989; and

Whereas, since the time Poland freed itself from communist

domination, Polish-American relations have transformed

from partnership to alliance, a transition marked by Poland’s historic accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in March 1999: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That Congress—

3 (1) commemorates the 20th anniversary of the work4 ers’ strikes in Poland that lead led to the creation of the

independent trade union Solidarnos ́

c

 ́ 5 ; and

6 (2) honors the leaders of Poland who risked and lost

7 their lives in attempting to restore democracy in their
4

S.L.C.

1 country and to return Poland to the democratic commu2 nity of nations.

Amend the title to read as follows: ‘‘Concurrent resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of the workers’ strikes in Poland that led to the creation of the independent trade union Solidarnos ́

c

 ́

, and for other purposes.’’.

Calendar No. 727

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 131

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the workers’ strikes in Poland that led to the creation of

the independent trade union Solidarnos

 ́

c

 ́

, and for

other purposes.

JULY 27, 2000

Reported with an amendment, amendments to the

preamble, and an amendment to the title