THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY PASHINSKI, HARKINS, MILLARD, ADOLPH, BAKER, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BOYD, BOYLE, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DePASQUALE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRELL, GRUCELA, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, JOSEPHS, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, KIRKLAND, KNOWLES, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LEVDANSKY, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSHALL, McCALL, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MICCARELLI, MICOZZIE, MIRABITO, MOUL, MUNDY, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PARKER, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, SAINATO, SANTARSIERO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SEIP, SHAPIRO, SIPTROTH, STERN, STEVENSON, STURLA, SWANGER, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, VITALI, VULAKOVICH, WANSACZ, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, MAY 11, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MAY 11, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Offering condolences to the people of Poland on the tragic death

of President Lech Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynska, and

dozens of other Polish military and governmental officials

killed in a disastrous plane crash on April 10 in western

Russia.

WHEREAS, On April 10, 2010, Polish President Lech Kaczynski,

First Lady Maria Kaczynska, and more than 90 other people,

including dozens of high ranking Polish military and

governmental officials, were traveling by plane to the site of

the Katyn massacre in western Russia; and

WHEREAS, This event would mark the 70th Anniversary of the

Katyn massacre in which an estimated 22,000 Polish soldiers were

killed by Soviet secret police in 1940; and

WHEREAS, In the early morning hours of April 10, the

President's plane attempted to land in thick fog at the Smolensk

airport in western Russia, missed the runway, and crashed; and

WHEREAS, All 97 people on board were killed; and

WHEREAS, Among those killed in addition to the President and

First Lady were some of Poland's highest ranking military and

governmental leaders, including the National Bank President, the

Deputy Parliament Speaker, at least three lawmakers, the Army

Chief of Staff, the Navy Chief Commander and the head of the

Olympic Committee; and

WHEREAS, President Kaczynski was a leading figure in Poland's

Solidarity movement, which helped to end the Soviet Union's

Communist hold on the country two decades ago; and

WHEREAS, President Kaczynski had a lifelong passion for

democratic reforms in Poland, being interned under martial law

for his involvement in the Solidarity movement, and being kept

in an internment camp in Strzebielinek from December 1981 to

October 1982; and

WHEREAS, President Kaczynski held a high number of positions

in Polish government including President of the Supreme Chamber

of Control, Minister of Justice, and most recently served as

Mayor of Warsaw before his election as president; and

WHEREAS, President Kaczynski had a long commitment to

fighting crime and actively sought out corruption in Polish

society; and

WHEREAS, Polish culture and traditions have had a tremendous

impact on this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The tragic plane crash on April 10, 2010, represents

not only an immense loss to the Polish people, but to the entire

international community as a whole; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper to join the international

community in its outpouring of grief and support to the country

of Poland; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives send its

condolences to the people of Poland over their profound loss.