Dzień Żołnierza.

Smolensk Katyn_polish 2021

PAC–MI Members,

 

Below is a letter from our National President Frank Spula with a crucial request to contact our Senators and urge them to support the Senate Resolution 566. (suggested script included)

The memo clearly explains the urgency and the need for all of our members and friends to influence our two Senators to support this resolution. As you might recall our division did send a letter with that request to Senator Debbie Stabenow as well as Senator Gary Peters and we did receive a reply from both stating that they will take it under consideration.

 

 

Dear President Bankowski,

 

I would like to ask you to call your Senators and urge them to support Senate Resolution 566. This resolution honors the Polish soldiers and civilians who were murdered by the NKVD during the Katyń Massacre, as well as condemns Russia’s efforts to spread disinformation about this horrific event.

 

I also ask you to encourage your members to call their Senators and urge them to support the resolution. Calling our state representatives is a simple act of civic engagement that allows our voices to be heard. The more members of the Polish American community participate, the more likely it is that we will be able to make an impact.

 

You can find your Senators’ contact information by searching by state here. Below is a suggested phone script, which you can pass along to your members as well:

 

“My name is _______ and I am a constituent residing in zip code ________. I am calling to ask Senator ______ to support Senate Resolution 566, a resolution commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Katyń Massacre. This resolution honors the Polish soldiers and civilians whose lives were lost at the hands of the Soviet People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, also known as the NKVD, during the Katyń Massacre. The bi-partisan resolution condemns Russia’s efforts to spread disinformation about the Katyń Massacre and World War II. Passing this resolution will strengthen our alliance with Poland, one of our oldest and most reliable allies, as well as serve as a gesture of solidarity with Polish Americans, many of whom lost loved ones to the atrocities of this war.

 

For record purposes, please let me know how many of your members reached out to the Senators office. Thank you for your time!”

 

A copy of this resolution is attached to this email for your review. This resolution is sponsored by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and co-sponsored by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), Senator James Risch (R-ID), Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL).

 

Please let me know if you have any questions!

 

Regards,

 

Frank J. Spula 

President

 

 

1 Dear PAC –MI Members

 

Kaptur, Kinzinger Resolution Supporting Three Seas Initiative Unanimously Passes House

 

November 18, 2020 Press Release

Washington, D.C. — Today, Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed their bipartisan resolution in support of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), a strategic partnership of twelve Central and Eastern European nations with the shared goal to foster energy, digital, and transportation infrastructure independence and resilience through collective financing of new infrastructure projects, increasing connectivity between the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Seas, and countering Russian and Chinese malign influence. Three Seas Initiative membership includes: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The resolution includes 43 bipartisan cosponsors, signifying the robust bipartisan support in the Congress for the transatlantic alliance.

“I am thrilled our resolution in support of the Three Seas Initiative has unanimously passed the House” said Rep. Kaptur. “This resolution expresses robust support for the Three Seas Initiative to accelerate the development of cross border infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe. This effort signifies robust Congressional support for the transatlantic alliance and is a key step to complete the vision of a Europe that is undivided, prosperous, secure, and free from Russian and Chinese malign influence. I look forward to working with the incoming Biden Administration to continue to strengthen the Three Seas Initiative. I thank my colleague Congressman Adam Kinzinger for his partnership in shepherding this resolution through the House. I am also grateful to Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman Engel, Ranking Member McCaul, and Congressman Keating for their commitment to strengthen the transatlantic alliance.”

“As a strong advocate for the independence and security of Europe’s energy markets, I’m proud to see our Three Seas resolution pass the House today. While Russia hopes to hold our European allies hostage with their Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Three Seas Initiative seeks to counter their malign influence. The collaboration between Eastern European countries will help strengthen their regional interconnectivity to secure the energy markets of our most important partners,” said Rep. Kinzinger. “This ambitious initiative has impressively received bipartisan support, transatlantic support, and overwhelming support from the Administration. I want to thank my colleague Representative Kaptur for her unwavering dedication to the transatlantic partnership and I look forward to working with our allies to build upon this important legislation.”

 

Bill text can be found here.

 

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2020-10-06_121701

 

 

Polish American Congress-MI

Meets with Michigan National Guard Soldiers

On September 8, 2020 a 15-member team from PAC-MI presented an orientation program to 69 Michigan National Guard soldiers, whose unit is being deployed to serve 10 months with NATO security forces in Poland. Upon receiving the invitation this summer from the unit’s commander, Captain Robert McNamara, our Division went to work to prepare a day of informational presentations about Poland- tourist, cultural, historical, language, music, social, and political- to help better prepare them for this experience abroad. Most of the soldiers had not travelled beyond Michigan before.  Each one received an informational folder covering many of the topics presented, as well as a bag of interesting reading about Poland and all things Polish, with pamphlets, brochures, and colorful reference materials.

The wide-ranging program included expert speakers with power point presentations, videos, audience participation, music, and sharing of personal experiences.  Among some of our presenters were: WSU Polish Studies professor, Dr. Alina Klin, who travels regularly to Poland with her students; the Honorary Consul for Poland, Richard Walawender; Stella Szczesny, from PNA and our Division’s National Director, who gave an interesting comparison from her visits to Poland of life under Communist times to changes and vast improvements in Poland today; Teresa Wiacek, of the Polish Scouting Organization, who prepared an interesting array of representative Polish music; and  (Retired) Col. Chester Szczotka who shared his life journey from a pre-war childhood in Poland, to surviving the Gulag in Soviet Russia, followed by growing up in Uganda, England, immigrating to Texas and Michigan, completing university studies and serving in the US Army Reserves, achieving the rank of colonel. We even had a member of the Polish Winged Hussars Re-Enactment Group visit in impressive full gear, sharing the strategies and significant contributions of these bold warriors to Polish history.

The soldiers were able to view interesting and informative displays about Polish culture and history prepared by our Executive VP, Barbara Lemecha. Together with the presentations, they were able to learn, probably for the first time, about Poland’s past and present, and what has influenced and shaped the country and the nation’s character.

The day was highlighted with a delicious luncheon featuring Polish style cuisine from Polish Village Café in Hamtramck and freshly baked pączki for dessert donated by Bożek Market. The afternoon’s program featured a motivational speech by (Ret.) Colonel Andrew Raczkowski, who impressed on the soldiers the importance of the mission for which they were being sent.

Our Division is especially grateful to all who participated, presented, donated, and lent helping hands to realize this unique project and opportunity. PAC-MI received a commemorative recognition plaque from the Michigan National Guard in appreciation of our efforts.