1997: President Clinton moves forward Poland's admission to NATO. The PAC acts effectively on behalf of Polish flood victims and on immigration reform. 1998: The national ancestry question is retained for the 2000 census after PAC efforts. 1999: The admission of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to NATO is approved by all 16 of its members. PAC members take part in the celebrations in Washington. A US Congressional Caucus on Central and Eastern Europe is created through PAC efforts. 2000: The PAC effectively fights for justice against the policemen involved in the shakedowns of Polish immigrants in Chicago. 2001: The PAC Charitable Foundation raises $125,000 on behalf of the victims of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11. 2002: The PAC defends thousands of Polish students who are victims of errors in the management of the J-1 visa work/travel program to the US. The PAC is invited by the Speaker of the Polish Senate to participate in the Polonia Advisory Council and also takes a lead role in the Council of World Polonia under National Executive Director Les Kuczynski. The Washington, DC, office introduces an internship in the capital for Polish-American university students. 2003: The City of Chicago settles a lawsuit brought by the PAC over the unfair gerrymandering of the city’s Polish-American community. 2005: Frank J. Spula becomes president of the PNA and the PAC following the death of President Moskal. He is still president of PAX. 2006: The Washington, DC, office begins to offer a number of programs in the capital to present the Polish-American contribution to the country. 2007: The PAC inaugurates its Medal of Freedom and honors Casimir Lenard as its first recipient. Senators Barbara Mikulski of Maryland in 2008 and George Voinovich of Ohio in 2009 are recipients of the PAC's highest recognition. 2008: The PAC passes an amendment to its by-laws prohibiting collaborators with communist regimes from holding office in the organization. That action reaffirms the PAC's historic position as stated in its by-laws. Annual Polish American Congress Days begin to be held in Washington, DC, and state capitals across the country. President Spula travels to Poland to reaffirm the PAC's close ties with the Polish government. 2009: PAC remains active in working closely with the US administration and legislators on several legislative initiatives to include resolutions celebrating 90 years of diplomatic relations, commemorating 20 years since the round