Madam Speaker, Monday, November 9, marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the peaceful revolution that led to the reunification of Germany and a divided Berlin.
The 12-foot concrete wall extended for 100 miles, surrounding Berlin, and included electrified fences and guard posts. It stood as a stark symbol of the decades-old struggle between the west and the Soviet Union.
When the wall fell, it marked the beginning of the end of the cold war. Shortly thereafter, the iron curtain would be lifted from the Soviet Union, freeing millions of people and bringing democracy to many more. It was the strength and determination of the western allies that stood firm with freedom-loving people of the world against oppression.
It was Ronald Reagan who said at the Brandenburg Gate:
We in the West stand ready to cooperate with the East to promote true openness, break down barriers that separate people, to create a safer, freer world.
We must never forget those who sacrificed their lives in the name of liberty and freedom. We must always work toward a freer, more democratic world.