[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 160 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8057-H8059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF BALTIC STATES INDEPENDENCE
Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 267) congratulating
the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on the 20th
anniversary of the reestablishment of their full independence, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 267
Whereas the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania were occupied in June 1940 by Soviet forces through
the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and illegally incorporated into
the Soviet Union in August 1940;
Whereas between June and August 1941, the Baltic nations
were invaded by Nazi Germany, subject to brutal repression,
and occupied as part of the Third Reich before being re-
occupied by Soviet forces in late 1944 until they regained
their independence in August 1991;
Whereas their forcible and illegal incorporation into the
Soviet Union and Third Reich was never recognized by the
United States;
Whereas from 1940 to 1991, thousands of Estonians,
Latvians, and Lithuanians were executed, imprisoned, or
exiled by Soviet authorities through a regime of brutal
repression and Sovietization in their respective nations;
Whereas despite the efforts of the Soviet Union to
eradicate the memory of independence, the Baltic people never
lost their hope for freedom and their long-held dream of full
independence;
Whereas during the period of ``glasnost'' and
``perestroika'' in the Soviet Union, the Baltic people played
a leading role in the struggle for democratic reform and
national independence; and
Whereas in the years following the declaration and
subsequent restoration of full independence, Estonia, Latvia,
and Lithuania have demonstrated their commitment to
democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and have
actively participated in a wide range of international
structures, pursuing further integration with European
political, economic, and security organizations: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) congratulates Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on the
20th anniversary of their declarations on the restoration of
independence from the Soviet Union and commends the
significant progress that they have since made, including
their membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) and the European Union (EU); and
(2) calls on the President to continue to build on the
close and mutually beneficial relations the United States has
enjoyed with
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Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania since the restoration of the
full independence of those nations.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Klein) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. KLEIN of Florida. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution that
congratulates Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on the 20th anniversary of
their declarations on the restoration of independence from the Soviet
Union.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Representative Shimkus, the gentleman
from Illinois, and a good friend of the Baltic people, for introducing
this measure today.
In June 1940, Soviet troops occupied the Baltic states under the
auspices of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and then forcibly incorporated
them into the Soviet Union. The following year, Nazi Germany invaded
the Baltic states and illegally incorporated them into the Third Reich.
The Soviet Union re-occupied the Baltic states in 1945 until they
regained their independence in 1991. During this period of foreign
domination, thousands of Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians were
subject to brutal repression, exiled, imprisoned and even executed. The
United States never recognized the incorporation of the Baltic states
into the Soviet Union.
I had a chance a few years ago to visit the states with a number of
other Members, and we heard directly from the people, the government
leaders about their level of appreciation to the United States for
taking that position that they were never recognized as Baltic states
under the Soviet Union.
This policy gave rise to the principle of legal continuity, which
held that they remained de jure independent during the period of
illegal occupation.
Furthermore, the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania never
relinquished their hope for freedom and democracy. In August of 1989,
the world watched as an estimated 2 million Balts--over one-quarter of
the total population--formed a 370-mile human chain that spanned the
three capitals in a peaceful act of solidarity and defiance of Soviet
rule.
Just over 6 months later, in March of 1990, Lithuania became the
first of the Soviet republics to declare independence. Estonia and
Latvia followed suit within weeks. All three regained their full
independence in late August 1991, which was recognized by the Soviet
Union on September 6.
In the intervening 20 years, these states have made remarkable
progress in reforming their political and economic systems. They have
joined the family of European democracies, become members of NATO and
the European Union. Indeed, all three Baltic states are valued
participants in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and have worked to
build stability and prosperity throughout eastern Europe.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution that celebrates an
important anniversary of our Baltic allies. I urge my colleagues to
join me in recognizing the close relations that our nations have
continued to enjoy.
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1620
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 267,
congratulating the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on
the 20th anniversary of their declarations on the restoration of
independence from the Soviet Union.
It is hard to believe that two decades have passed since the world
witnessed the tremendous events that took place in Eastern Europe and
the former Soviet Union. We saw countries in that region emerge from
decades of communist brutality to bravely shake off the shackles of
Soviet oppression. Those events forever changed the world.
Along with the memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the
victory of the trade union Solidarity in the historic election in
Poland, of course we recall the inspirational act by 2 million people
living in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania who linked hands to form a
human chain almost 400 miles long in a peaceful protest against Soviet
rule.
After decades of oppressive Soviet occupation, the Baltic peoples
remained committed to one day regaining independence and living in
freedom. That dream, of course, became a reality in 1991 when the three
Baltic nations gained full independence from the Soviet Union. But you
know, in those final days leading up to independence, I will never
forget being in Vilnius with Steny Hoyer and other members of the
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. We were there to
stand in solidarity with President Landsbergis who was under an ever-
present threat that the Black Berets, the Soviet storm troopers, were
poised to take over the Parliament building and to take over the
executive branch. They killed people at a TV tower. There was actually
a gun turret there. There was a tank.
We went up and visited and to pay our respects to the people who had
been slain just days before. I will never forget as the gun turret
moved in the direction of our delegation, and especially Don Ritter,
who was a member of that delegation, who had the audacity to get too
close to the tank. That is how much of a hair trigger the Soviet troops
had in Vilnius in February 1991.
Again, I want to thank Mr. Hoyer. He and I and others on that
delegation--he was the head of that delegation. We were there like
Freedom Riders, being there, physically present, to try to chill any
attack on President Landsbergis' government.
But it was the people themselves in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania,
the Baltic States, who took it upon themselves to stand up to the
tyranny, and they prevailed, as did the others in Eastern Europe and
the Soviet Union. So we rise to congratulate them and to pay our
profound respect for their courage in bringing about democracy to those
great nations. They are captive nations no more.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, again, I think that when we think
back to Eastern Europe from decades ago, the type of place it was under
Soviet dominance and occupation, it is a different place today. Those
of us who have a chance as Americans to travel to these three countries
have seen tremendous change.
We know that the fight that they have, and the respect they have for
the United States is strong because we held and stood with them during
the time of the Soviet occupation. We appreciate their belief in
freedom and democracy. We share that with them.
One little side note: When I was in Lithuania, a number of us were
interested in encouraging Lithuania to continue to move forward quickly
with Holocaust restitution, which has been languishing for quite some
time, and we encourage them to move quickly before many of these
survivors perish by natural causes.
But we are here today to celebrate. This is a very big milestone. And
of course we ask Members of this body to support this resolution.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 267, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was
agreed to.
The title was amended so as to read: ``Concurrent resolution
congratulating the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on
the 20th anniversary of their declarations on the restoration of
independence from the Soviet Union.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
[[Page H8059]]
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