Mr. Speaker. Baltic States Freedom Day. which is observed on June 15. commemorates the forcible annexation of the Baltic States of Estonia. Latvia. and Lithuania into the Soviet Union. Between June 14 and June 17. 1940. the Soviet Army marched into these three countries which had maintained free and independent governments since 1920. In order to consolidate its power the Stalin regime conducted a brutal deportation of over 70.000 persons to Siberian labor camps. Today. 35 years 19374 : later. these nations remain under Soviet domination. In 1922. the United States extended full diplomatic recognition to Estonia. Latvia. and Lithuania. and despite Soviet domination continues to maintain this recognition of their sovereignty.
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