SJ0017 LRB095 10613 MJR 30836 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Republic of Poland is a free, democratic, and
3 independent nation; and
 
4     WHEREAS, In 1999, the United States and the Republic of
5 Poland became formal allies when Poland was granted membership
6 in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The Republic of Poland has proven to be an
8 indispensable ally in the global campaign against terrorism;
9 and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Republic of Poland has actively participated
11 in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Iraqi reconstruction,
12 shedding blood along with American soldiers; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The President of the United States and other high
14 ranking officials have described Poland as "one of our closest
15 friends"; and
 
16     WHEREAS, On April 15, 1991, the Republic of Poland
17 unilaterally repealed the visa obligation to United States
18 citizens traveling to Poland; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The United States Department of State's Visa

 

 

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1 Waiver Program currently allows approximately 23 million
2 citizens from 27 countries to travel to the United States for
3 tourism or business for up to 90 days without having first to
4 obtain visas for entry; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The countries that currently participate in the
6 Visa Waiver Program include Andorra, Australia, Austria,
7 Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland,
8 Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the
9 Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino,
10 Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the
11 United Kingdom; and
 
12     WHEREAS, It is appropriate that the Republic of Poland be
13 made eligible for the United States Department of State's Visa
14 Waiver Program; therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
16 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
17 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we respectfully urge the President of
18 the United States and the Congress of the United States to make
19 the Republic of Poland eligible for the United States
20 Department of State's Visa Waiver Program; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
22 transmitted to the President of the United States, the

 

 

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1 presiding officers of the United States Senate and the House of
2 Representatives, all members of the Illinois Congressional
3 delegation, and to Dr. Janusz Reiter, the Ambassador of the
4 Republic of Poland to the United States.