PAL-PAC

{{Infobox institute
|name = Polish American Leadership Political Action Committee (PAL-PAC)
|image = Pal-pac_logo.jpg
|image_name = PAL-PAC Logo
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|established = 2013
|mission = To address the social, civic, and business interests of the Polish-American community in the United States. <ref>{{cite web|title=Our Mission Statement|url=http://pal-pac.org/AbOUT-us/our-mission-statement11|publisher=PAL-PAC}}</ref>
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|president = Lucas Fuksa
|chairman = Arie Zwieg
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|non-profit_slogan = "Together, Our Voice Will Be Heard"
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|location = [[Glenview, Cook County, Illinois | Glenview, IL]]
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|website = {{URL|www.pal-pac.org}}
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The '''Polish-American Leadership Political Action Committee (PAL-PAC)''' is a national [[Polish-American]] advocacy and public policy organization headquartered in [[Glenview, Cook County, Illinois | Glenview, IL]] a suburb of [[Chicago]]. PAL-PAC was founded in 2013. PAL-PAC's goal is to influence action by the Polish-American community and elect more Polish-American politicians into local, state, and federal offices. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/4/prweb10595176.htm|title=Newly Formed Polish-American Leadership Political Action Committee Helps Polish-Americans Stay Involved in National, State, and Local Elections|date=4 April 2013|work=PRWeb}}</ref>

== Executive board ==
The organization is run by an executive board that is elected by a [[board of directors]]. In addition to the executive board, PAL-PAC also has a Junior Board and a Founding Board. The current makeup of the Executive Board <ref>{{cite web|url=http://pal-pac.org/about-us/executive-board|title=Executive Board|work=PAL-PAC.ORG - Serving Polish American Political Interests}}</ref> is;
{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" valign=top
* Lucas M. Fuksa - President
* Arie Zweig - Chairman
* Mario Machnicki - Vice-President
* Casey Chlebek - Secretary
* Michelle Kurzydlowski - Treasurer
* Kinga Aleksandrowicz - Executive Director

|}

== Visa waiver program ==
Enacting federal legislation for Poland to be incorporated into the [[Visa Waiver Program]] is currently PAL-PAC's top issue. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://pal-pac.org/about-us/policy-statement|title=Policy Statement|work=PAL-PAC.ORG - Serving Polish American Political Interests}}</ref> In the beginning of 2013, PAL-PAC launched an online petition directed at the [[House Judiciary Committee]] after the Senate passed an immigration reform bill that included language for Polish citizens to be able to visit the United States without the need of visas. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/137875,-US-visa-waiver-for-Poles-%E2%80%98closer-than-ever%E2%80%99-|title=US visa waiver for Poles ‘closer than ever’|work=Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmf24.pl/fakty/swiat/news-amerykanskie-wizy-dla-polakow-moga-zniknac-do-konca-roku,nId,1014636|title=Ameryka艅skie wizy dla Polak贸w mog膮 znikn膮膰 do ko艅ca roku|date=22 August 2013|work=rmf24.pl}}</ref> The petition was able to garner thousands of signatures but the bill was not able to get out of a House sub-committee <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/490/committees"|title=Committees - H.R.490 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act - Congress.gov - Library of Congress|work=congress.gov}}</ref>

== 2014 midterm elections==
PAL-PAC chose to endorse 6 candidates during the 2014 election. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://pal-pac.org/news/pal-pac-announces-2014-candidate-endorsements|title=PAL-PAC Announces 2014 Candidate Endorsements|work=PAL-PAC.ORG - Serving Polish American Political Interests}}</ref> In the year leading up to the election, PAL-PAC hosted two candidate forums that was attended by dozens of candidates including; [[Bruce Rauner]], [[Mark Kirk]], [[Dan Lipinski]], among others at the [[Copernicus Center]] in Chicago, IL. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://progressillinois.com/news/content/2014/09/10/rauner-appear-polish-american-pac-candidate-forum|title=Rauner To Appear At Polish American PAC Candidate Forum|work=progressillinois.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicagorewia.com/Post/polish-american-candidates-forum-great-opportunity-for-voters-to-discuss-wide-ranging-issues-before-illinois-primary|title=Polish-American Candidates’ Forum Great Opportunity for Voters to Discuss Wide Ranging Issues Before Illinois Primary|work=chicagorewia.com}}</ref>

Shortly after Bruce Rauner's victory in the Illinois Gubernatorial race, PAL-PAC released a statement suggesting that they, along with the Polish community in Chicago and the Northern Suburbs, were a large factor in the Governor's victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pal-pac.org/news/did-the-polish-american-vote-sway-the-il-gubernatorial-race|title=Did the Polish-American Vote Just Sway the IL Gubernatorial Race?|work=PAL-PAC.ORG - Serving Polish American Political Interests}}</ref>

== External links ==
* [http://www.pal-pac.org PAL-PAC.org]
* [https://twitter.com/pal-pac PAL-PAC Twitter]
* [http://Facebook.com/PolishAmericanLeadership PAL-PAC Facebook]
* [http://instagram.com/pal_pac PAL-PAC Instagram]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Polish-American organizations]]
[[Category:2013 establishments]]