Congresswoman Kaptur met with President of Poland Bronislaw Komorowski and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in New York to discuss U.S.-Polish relations.

Later, during ceremonies at the Polish Consulate, President Komorowski presented Congresswoman Kaptur with the Commander’s Cross for her efforts to improve relations between the two countries.

"America's relationship with Poland makes us both stronger," said Congresswoman Kaptur. 

"Since America's founding, our mutual love of liberty has bound us together.  Standing together, we are better able to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities in a new century."

The meeting and award ceremony coincided with President Komorowski’s visit to America to attend the 67th Session of the U.N. General Assembly

Officially known as the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, the award is bestowed on individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to strengthening relations with Poland.

Congresswoman Kaptur, whose heritage is Polish, has worked on Polish-American relations since coming to Congress.  She recently joined the Polish Embassy in Washington in welcoming the release by the National Archives of recently-declassified information pertaining to the 1940 Katyn Massacre.