Oct. 07, 2009
Washington, D.C. — Congressman John Conyers, Jr., submitted the following statement for the Congressional Record in support of House Joint Resolution 26. Conyers also took this opportunity to comment on the richness and diversity of Southeastern Michigan and of the value of public service.
“Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life and service of General Casimir Pulaski, who gave his life on October 11, 1779 to the cause of American independence. General Pulaski, born in Warsaw, Poland on March 6, 1745, arrived in Philadelphia in 1777, where he met General George Washington and made the heroic decision to support the colonies through the American Revolution. Through subsequent battles, General Pulaski distinguished himself as a relentless, courageous, and unwavering leader towards the fight for our nation’s independence.
The life and valor of General Pulaski is celebrated with great pride back in my home district of Michigan. A statue of General Pulaski was erected in 1966 at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Boulevard in Detroit, a mere block and a half from my District office, as a gift from the large Polish-American population in the Metropolitan Detroit area. This community is one of many that together contribute to the richness and diversity of my home district, and that of this great nation.
Even before America was a nation, General Pulaski exhibited two traits that Americans still embodies today: self-sacrifice and fighting for a cause greater than oneself. It is with great honor that I rise to express my support for House Joint Resolution Twenty Six, which will proclaim General Casimir Pulaski to be an honorary citizen of the United States of America.
Madam Speaker, I have also submitted a photograph of the aforementioned statue to officially be placed in the Congressional Record. That being said, I yield back the remainder of my time.”