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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