 He has been a minister (Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers) since July 14, 2006.On May 8, 2007 he became Deputy Prime Minister of Poland and held that position until November 11, 2007.He was listed on the flight manifest of the Tupolev Tu-154 of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment carrying the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński which crashed near Smolensk-North airport near Pechersk near Smolensk, Russia, on 10 April 2010, killing all aboard.