[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 165 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 165

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Parthenon Marbles should 
                         be returned to Greece.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2003

Mr. Payne (for himself, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Bilirakis, Ms. Berkley, Mr. 
 Berman, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Dicks, Mr. 
 Doyle, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Fossella, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Holt, Mr. Kennedy of 
  Minnesota, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Lee, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. 
 McGovern, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Markey, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Ros-
   Lehtinen, Mrs. Tauscher, and Ms. Watson) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Parthenon Marbles should 
                         be returned to Greece.

Whereas the Parthenon was built on the hill of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, 
        in the mid-fifth century B.C. under the direction of the Athenian 
        statesman Pericles and the design of the sculptor Phidias;
Whereas the Parthenon is the ultimate expression of the artistic genius of 
        Greece, the preeminent symbol of the Greek cultural heritage--its art, 
        architecture, and democracy--and of the contributions that modern Greeks 
        and their forefathers have made to civilization;
Whereas the Parthenon has served as a place of worship for ancient Greeks, 
        Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and Muslims;
Whereas the Parthenon has been adopted by imitation by the United States in many 
        preeminent public buildings, including the Lincoln Memorial;
Whereas over 100 pieces of the Parthenon's sculptures--now known as the 
        Parthenon Marbles--were removed from the Parthenon under questionable 
        circumstances between 1801 and 1816 by Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of 
        Elgin, while Greece was still under Ottoman rule;
Whereas the removal of the Parthenon Marbles, including their perilous voyage to 
        Great Britain and their careless storage there for many years, greatly 
        endangered the Marbles;
Whereas the Parthenon Marbles were removed to grace the private home of Lord 
        Elgin, who transferred the Marbles to the British Museum only after 
        severe personal economic misfortunes;
Whereas the sculptures of the Parthenon were designed as an integral part of the 
        structure of the Parthenon temple; the carvings of the friezes, 
        pediments, and metopes are not merely statuary, movable decorative art, 
        but are integral arts of the Parthenon, which can best be appreciated if 
        all the Parthenon Marbles are reunified;
Whereas the Parthenon is a universal symbol of culture, democracy, and freedom, 
        making the Parthenon Marbles of concern not only to Greece but to all 
        the world;
Whereas, since obtaining independence in 1830, Greece has sought the return of 
        the Parthenon Marbles;
Whereas the return of the Parthenon Marbles would be a profound demonstration by 
        the United Kingdom of its appreciation and respect for the Parthenon and 
        classical art;
Whereas returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece would be a gesture of good 
        will on the part of the British Parliament, and would set no legal 
        precedent, nor in any other way affect the ownership or disposition of 
        other objects in museums in the United States or around the world;
Whereas the United Kingdom should return the Parthenon Marbles in recognition 
        that the Parthenon is part of the cultural heritage of the entire world 
        and, as such, should be made whole;
Whereas Greece would provide care for the Parthenon Marbles equal or superior to 
        the care provided by the British Museum, especially considering the 
        irreparable harm caused by attempts by the museum to remove the original 
        color and patina of the Marbles with abrasive cleaners;
Whereas Greece is constructing a new, permanent museum in full view of the 
        Acropolis to house all the Marbles, protected from the elements in a 
        safe, climate-controlled environment;
Whereas Greece has pledged to work with the British government to negotiate 
        mutually agreeable conditions for the return of the Parthenon Marbles;
Whereas the people of Greece have a greater, ancient bond to the Parthenon 
        Marbles, which were in Greece for over 2,200 years of the over 2,430 
        year history of the Parthenon;
Whereas the British people support the return of the Parthenon Marbles, as 
        reflected in several recent polls;
Whereas a resolution signed by a majority of members of the European Parliament 
        urged the British government to return the Parthenon Marbles to their 
        natural setting in Greece;
Whereas the British House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and 
        Sport is to be commended for examining the issue of the disposition of 
        the Parthenon Marbles in hearings held in 2000; and
Whereas in 2004 the Olympic Games will take place in Athens, Greece--birthplace 
        of the Olympics--and the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to their 
        home in Athens by that time: Now, therefore, be it
     Resolved by the House (the Senate concurring), That it is the 
sense of the Congress that the Government of the United Kingdom should 
enter into negotiations with the Government of Greece as soon as 
possible to facilitate the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece 
before the Olympics in 2004.
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