September 18, 2008

Hungary Honors Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi presented House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) the Commander's Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil  division) in the Capitol on September 18th.

Majority Leader Hoyer was awarded this high state recognition for his significant contributions to the Hungarian democratization process, promotion of minority rights in Hungary and in the neighboring countries.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Ambassador Somogyi

The bipartisan Foreign Affairs Committee delegation of the Hungarian Parliament and Ms. Erika B. Schlager, Counsel at the Helsinki Commission also attended the ceremony with Majority Leader Hoyer.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer with the Hungarian Foreign Affairs Committee delegation and Amb. Somogyi

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer with Helsinki Commission Counsel Erika Schlager

Steny Hoyer was the Chair of the congressional Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) from 1985 until 1994.  With little publicity, he flew frequently to Eastern Europe and Russia during these years, visiting dissidents, lobbying officials to release political prisoners. He championed the cause of human rights, individual freedoms, democracy and religious liberties throughout the world. 

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (Maryland) was elected in November 2006 to serve as House Majority Leader in the 110th Congress, after serving as the Democratic Whip in the previous two Congresses. Congressman Hoyer's service as Majority Leader makes him the second highest-ranking Member of the House Representatives.  Now serving his 14th term in Congress, he also became the longest-serving Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland in history on June 4, 2007.