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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 139 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 139

  Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the end of communist rule in 
                                Poland.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 11, 2009

  Ms. Mikulski (for herself, Mr. Burris, Mr. Specter, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
   Voinovich, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Levin, Mr. 
Cardin, and Mr. Martinez) submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                              June 2, 2009

             Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the end of communist rule in 
                                Poland.

Whereas in January 1947, the communist Democratic Bloc party seized control of 
        the Polish Parliament in a rigged election orchestrated by the 
        Government of the Soviet Union;
Whereas, from 1947 to 1952, the communist Government of Poland prosecuted, 
        imprisoned, and executed many individuals who fought as part of the 
        wartime Underground Resistance, an organization that valiantly supported 
        the Allied struggle against Nazi Germany as part of the largest 
        resistance movement in occupied Europe;
Whereas in July 1952, the passage of a new constitution formally created the 
        communist People's Republic of Poland and outlawed any non-communist 
        candidate from seeking office to represent the people of Poland;
Whereas during the ensuing years of communist rule, the people of Poland 
        suffered severe hardships because of the communist-led government's 
        failure to provide for the basic economic needs of its people;
Whereas under communist rule, Polish intellectuals, religious leaders, labor 
        officials, students, and reformers were imprisoned and exiled for 
        speaking out against a succession of increasingly corrupt, inefficient, 
        and repressive pro-Soviet puppets;
Whereas despite the harsh repression of the communist-led government and the 
        great personal risk they faced, the Polish people struggled for freedom 
        by staging strikes, publishing underground newspapers, organizing street 
        protests, and speaking out against the economic and political failures 
        of the communist regime;
Whereas in August 1980, in the wake of a shipyard workers' strike in Gdansk, the 
        Solidarity Movement was created as the first free trade union in the 
        Soviet Bloc nations;
Whereas ultimately 1 in 4 Polish citizens became members of the Solidarity 
        movement, which served as the driving force for Poland's liberation from 
        communist rule;
Whereas, on June 4, 1989, the Solidarity Party secured an overwhelming victory 
        over the existing communist government in the first open election in 
        Poland since the end of World War II, marking the fall of pro-Soviet 
        rule in Poland; and
Whereas this victory inspired a succession of similarly peaceful transitions 
        from communism to democracy in other former Soviet Bloc nations: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) celebrates the 20th anniversary of the end of communist 
        rule in Poland;
            (2) expresses its admiration for the people of Poland for 
        their bravery and resolve in the face of economic hardship and 
        political oppression under communist rule;
            (3) congratulates the people of Poland for their 
        accomplishments in the years since the end of pro-Soviet 
        communist rule in building a free democracy, and for their 
        contributions as international partners;
            (4) expresses its appreciation for the close friendship 
        between the Government of the United States and the Government 
        of Poland; and
            (5) urges the Government of the United States to continue 
        to seek new ways to enhance its partnership with the Government 
        of Poland.
                                 <all>
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