IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 44 
Calling for an independent international investigation of the April 10, 2010, 
plane crash that killed President of Poland Lech Kaczynski and 95 
other individuals. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 15, 2011 
Mr. KING of New York (for himself and Mr. MCCOTTER) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Calling for an independent international investigation of the 
April 10, 2010, plane crash that killed President of Po-
land Lech Kaczynski and 95 other individuals. 
Whereas, on April 10, 2010, an airplane carrying President 
of Poland Lech Kaczynski crashed near Smolensk, Rus-
sia, killing everyone onboard; 
Whereas the individuals onboard the airplane included Presi-
dent Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria Kaczynski, the 
chief of the Polish General Staff, senior Polish military 
officers, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland, 12 
members of the Parliament of Poland, the president of 
the National Bank of Poland, senior members of the Pol-
ish clergy, and relatives of victims of the Katyn massacre; 
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Whereas President Lech Kaczynski and passengers were trav-
eling to attend a ceremony commemorating the 70th an-
niversary of the Katyn Massacre to honor the 22,000 
Polish officers killed at Katyn by the Soviet Secret Police 
in 1940 when the plane crashed just six miles from 
Katyn; 
Whereas, on April 10, 2010, President of Russia Dmitry 
Medvedev ordered the establishment of a State Commis-
sion headed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to 
investigate the circumstances of the disaster; 
Whereas Prime Minister Vladimir Putin delegated supervision 
to Tatyana Anodina, Chairwoman of the Interstate Avia-
tion Committee in Russia, to investigate the cir-
cumstances of the crash; 
Whereas Alexei Morozov was designated as head of the Inter-
state Aviation Committee’s technical commission; 
Whereas Edmund Klich, the head of the State Commission 
for Aircraft Accident Investigations in Poland, was put in 
charge of the Polish investigative committee; 
Whereas, on May 19, 2010, the Russian Interstate Aviation 
Committee released preliminary reports that the plane 
did not suffer from any mechanical failures and ruled out 
a terrorist attack, explosion, or fire; 
Whereas Russian investigators in preliminary reports stated 
that the crash was the fault of the Polish pilots who did 
not listen to air traffic controllers; 
Whereas Polish investigators released preliminary reports 
concluding that the crash was the fault of the air traffic 
controllers who gave delayed commands to the pilots; 
Whereas only the transcripts of flight recorders have been 
given to Polish investigators; 
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Whereas the black boxes have not been handed over to Polish 
investigators; 
Whereas, on January 12, 2011, the Russian Interstate Avia-
tion Committee released its final report concluding that 
pilot error was the cause of the crash and dignitaries on 
the plane pressured the pilots to land; 
Whereas the Interstate Aviation Committee’s final report did 
not include any information regarding actions of Russian 
air traffic controllers communicating with the plane; 
Whereas requests for certain additional information by Polish 
investigators have been denied; 
Whereas, on January 12, 2011, Tatyana Anodina, Chair-
woman of the Interstate Aviation Committee, stated that 
Russia is prepared to provide results of its final report 
to an international investigation or auditors if necessary; 
Whereas, on January 13, 2011, Prime Minister Donald Tusk 
of Poland called for intervention by international institu-
tions in the event authorities from Poland and Russia 
cannot produce a report that satisfies both sides; 
Whereas, according to the Convention on International Civil 
Aviation, signed at Chicago December 7, 1944 (also 
known as the ‘‘Chicago Convention’’), if one country does 
not agree with an aviation disaster report drafted by an-
other country, they may meet to reach consensus on the 
matter; and 
Whereas over 300,000 Poles have signed a petition calling for 
an international investigation: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress calls for an independent inter-
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national investigation of the April 10, 2010, plane crash 
near Smolensk, Russia. 
Æ 
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