WASHINGTON – Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin has joined with other members of the Helsinki Commission in urging President Bush to push for a fair and equitable property restitution law when he meets with Polish officials during his European trip.

On June 15, President Bush will travel to Poland where he will meet with President Kwasniewski and Prime Minister Buzek. Rep. Cardin and other members of the Helsinki Commission want President Bush to urge the Polish government to carry through with its previously stated commitment to enact a fair, non-discriminatory property restitution law. Such a law is necessary to enable the return of private property that was confiscated by the Nazi or communist regimes in Poland.

"I have 12 constituents who have joined a lawsuit seeking compensation for lost property. It's imperative that any meaningful property restitution law include individuals who no longer have Polish citizenship or no longer reside in Poland. Without that guarantee, a property restitution law is meaningless, " said Rep. Cardin, a Commissioner on the Helsinki Commission and author of the letter.

The letter to the President states: "For individuals with ties to Central and Eastern Europe, the restitution of property is not ultimately about land or money, but rather it is about obtaining a measure of justice for the oppression and persecution they and their families suffered under previous regimes..."

The Commission members that signed the letter to the President include: Reps. Christopher Smith, R-NJ; Steny Hoyer, D-MD; Louise Slaughter, D-NY; Alcee Hastings, D-FL; and Sens. Sam Brownback, R-KS; and Hillary Clinton, D-NY. Other members of Congress that signed the letter include Reps. Henry Waxman, D-CA and Anthony Weiner, D-NY.