[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 20] [House] [Pages 27566-27568] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 479) recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution that began on October 23, 1956 and reaffirming the friendship between the people and governments of the United States and Hungary, as amended. The Clerk read as follows: H. Res. 479 Whereas on October 23, 1956, university students marching through the streets of Budapest were joined by workers and others until their numbers reached some 100,000 Hungarian citizens protesting against the communist government of Hungary and its domination by the Soviet Union, whereupon the Hungarian Security Police opened fire on the crowd and killed hundreds; Whereas the Hungarian government under Prime Minister Imre Nagy released political prisoners, including major church leaders, took steps to establish a multi-party democracy, called for the withdrawal of all Soviet troops from Hungary, announced Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, and requested United Nations assistance in establishing Hungarian neutrality; Whereas the Soviet Union launched a massive military counteroffensive against the revolt on November 4, 1956, sending tens of thousands of additional troops from the Soviet Union and launched air strikes, artillery bombardments and coordinated tank-infantry actions involving some 6,000 tanks which, remarkably, the outnumbered and under-equipped Hungarian Army and Hungarian workers resisted for several days; Whereas Prime Minister Imre Nagy was seized by Soviet security forces despite assurances of safe passage for him to leave the Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest where he sought asylum, and he was taken to Romania and was subsequently tried and executed; Whereas an estimated one thousand two hundred Hungarians were tried and executed by the post-1956 Hungarian government; Whereas an estimated 200,000 Hungarians fled their country in the aftermath of the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian uprising, and over 47,000 of these people eventually were able to settle in the United States, where they have contributed to the cultural diversity and the economic strength of this country; Whereas the uprising of the Hungarian people in 1956 dramatically confirmed the widespread contempt in which the Hungarians held the Soviet Union and the underlying weakness of the communist system imposed [[Page 27567]] by Soviet authorities in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the strength of popular support for democratic principles and the right of the Hungarian people to determine their own national destiny; Whereas on October 23, 1989, the Republic of Hungary proclaimed its independence, and in 1990 the Hungarian Parliament officially designated October 23 as a Hungarian national holiday, indicating that the legacy of the 1956 Revolution continues to inspire Hungarians to this day; Whereas the people of Hungary are beginning a year-long celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956; Whereas on March 12, 1999, the Government of Hungary, reflecting the will of the Hungarian people, formally acceded to the North Atlantic Treaty and became a member of NATO and on May 1, 2004, Hungary became a full member of the European Union; and Whereas Hungary and the United States continue to expand their friendship and cooperation in all realms: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) commends the people of Hungary as they mark the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution which set the stage for the ultimate collapse of communism in 1989 throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary, and two years later in the Soviet Union itself; (2) expresses condolences to the people of Hungary for those who lost their lives fighting for the cause of Hungarian freedom and independence in 1956, as well as for those individuals executed by the Soviet and Hungarian communist authorities in the five years following the Revolution, including Prime Minister Imre Nagy; (3) welcomes the changes that have taken place in Hungary since 1989, believing that Hungary's integration into NATO and the European Union, together with similar developments in the neighboring countries, will ensure peace, stability, and understanding among the great peoples of the Carpathian Basin; and (4) reaffirms the friendship and cooperative relations between the governments of Hungary and the United States and between the Hungarian and American people. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California. General Leave Mr. GALLEGLY. 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 California? There was no objection. Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is a resolution introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the ranking member on the Committee on International Relations, and recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution that began on October 23, 1956. It is estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 Hungarian freedom fighters and 700 Soviet troops were killed during the uprising and tens of thousands more were injured. The resolution also reaffirms the friendship between the people and governments of the United States and Hungary. I am a cosponsor and strongly support H. Res. 479. The 1956 uprising by the Hungarian people was one of the most significant challenges to Soviet domination of Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. The crackdown by Soviet forces led to more than 200,000 Hungarians fleeing their country as refugees. The brutality of the Soviet military action weakened both the standing and moral authority of the Soviet Union and Communist Party that were active in Western Europe. The 1956 Hungarian uprising was a pivotal event in the Cold War which eventually led to the downfall of the Soviet Union and the worldwide communist movement. I urge passage of the resolution and commend Mr. Lantos for bringing attention to this very important and historical event. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 479. The 1956 Hungarian uprising against Soviet occupation and domination was the defining event for Hungary in the 20th century. It continues to be a critical element of the Hungarian people's identity and the defining moment in the world's perception of Hungary well into the 21st century. The 1956 Hungarian Revolution was also a decisive event for the Soviet Union, for the United States, and for the entire world during the Cold War. Beginning this fall and continuing through November of 2006, the Hungarian people in Hungary and wherever they live around the globe are proudly celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1956 fight for freedom, democracy, and independence. Mr. Speaker, the Hungarian struggle for freedom and recognition as an independent nation among the nations of the world has been long and difficult. In 1848, the Hungarian people united in the fight to assert their independence from the Hapsburg Empire, only to have their liberty denied by Russian troops which came to the aid of Austria. Although Hungary was given a measure of autonomy in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, it was not until the end of World War I that it became a fully independent state, though with considerably reduced territory. After independence, Hungary suffered increasingly authoritarian governments, fell into the Nazi Germany sphere of influence, was eventually occupied by Nazi Germany military forces, and at the end of World War II was occupied by the Soviet Army, when it began nearly a half century of Soviet communist domination. One of the brightest moments in the Hungarian struggle for freedom and independence came in October 1956 when university students, workers, and Hungarians of all walks of life rallied against the Soviet occupation of their country. {time} 1700 The local allies of the Soviets fought against the popular uprising, but Soviet troops initially withdrew from Budapest. The reform government of Prime Minister Imre Nagy took steps to establish a multiparty democracy, called for the removal of all Soviet troops, announced Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and requested United Nations aid in establishing Hungarian neutrality. The Kremlin saw the events in Hungary as a fatal danger to communist dominance of Central Europe and their international status. Soviet troops were ordered into Budapest. Massive aerial and artillery bombardments and 6,000 Soviet tanks were launched against the city. Struggling against overwhelming odds, the Hungarian workers and students continued the fight, but in the end, they were overcome by the crushing Soviet force. The black and white television and newsreel pictures of the fight for Budapest seen by the American people and the entire world were one of the most powerful and enduring images of the entire Cold War. In many ways, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 defined the Cold War. The uprising of the Hungarian people dramatically confirmed the widespread contempt in which the Soviet Union was held even by its supposed allies. The uprising exposed the underlying weakness of the Communist system imposed by the Soviet Union, and it was a spectacular demonstration of the strength of support for democracy and the right of peoples to determine their own national destiny. The revolution of 1956, Mr. Speaker, remains a defining element of the identity of the Hungarian people. In the late 1980s, as the Soviet noose around Hungary and the other Soviet-dominated countries of Central Europe began to loosen, the Hungarian people again returned to the events of 1956 to express their love for freedom and their desire for independence. In 1989, the official rehabilitation and public reburial of Prime Minister Imre Nagy who was tried and executed by the Soviets for his role in 1956 was a key marker of the reassertion of Hungarian independence. At the same time, the rehabilitation of other individuals who played a role in 1956 and the public celebration of the uprising itself were important in affirming Hungarian sovereignty. [[Page 27568]] One of the most important symbolic Hungarian actions during this time was the government decision to formally designate October 23 the date on which the Hungarian uprising began, as a national holiday of the Republic of Hungary. It is significant, Mr. Speaker, that one of the key events bringing down the Berlin Wall and bringing an end to the Soviet Union and its dominance of Central Europe was the Hungarian decision in August of 1989 to open the Hungarian border with Austria to East German citizens. East Germans who could not pass through the Berlin Wall could travel through Hungary and after August 1989 could go to Austria and then to West Germany. More than any other event, this bold Hungarian initiative led to the collapse of the East German communist regime and the opening of the Berlin Wall. Mr. Speaker, as Hungarians in Hungary and around the world mark the half century since the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, it is so appropriate that we in the United States Congress, on behalf of the American people, join in affirming the significance of that event, and that we express the condolences of the American people to those who lost their lives and their futures in their fight for freedom and liberty. The changes that have transformed Hungary and its people in the last 15 years, the entry of Hungary into NATO, its accession to the European Union, its embrace of a free, open and democratic society are possible because of what happened a half a century ago. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution which affirms our friendship and cooperation with the Hungarian government and the Hungarian people. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to conclude by again commending my good friend from California (Mr. Lantos) for his leadership and his passion on this resolution, and join with him in urging our colleagues to support the resolution. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and would yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Aderholt). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 479, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of those present have voted in the affirmative. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. ____________________