On the recordJune 10, 2010
Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago today, I served as an election observer in Bulgaria on behalf of the International Republican Institute, IRI. It was a life-changing dream come true for me to experience firsthand the birth of liberty in a captive nation which had been subjected for decades to Nazism and Communism. As a lifelong Cold Warrior, I always promoted victory over Communism. On June 10, 1990, the people of Bulgaria participated in the first free elections since the 1930s. It was inspiring to visit polling places in the Plovdiv region and witness the young and old participating freely. The talented people of Bulgaria were unshackled. People did not want to be a slavish Soviet satellite. Since then, Bulgaria has evolved from the antiquated, frozen-in-time nation of the 1930s to being a vibrant free market democracy of today. It is now a valued member of NATO, with troops having served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a dynamic member of the European Union. In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11th in the Global War on Terrorism. God bless Bulgaria. ____________________
