[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 39 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 39

  Recognizing the 188th anniversary of the independence of Greece and 
               celebrating Greek and American democracy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2009

    Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Bilirakis, Ms. 
Berkley, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Roskam, Mr. Sestak, Mr. Brown of 
  South Carolina, Ms. Kosmas, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. 
   Pallone, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Ms. Watson, Mr. Holt, Mr. 
  Sarbanes, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. 
Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Kennedy, and Ms. Foxx) introduced the 
  following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the 188th anniversary of the independence of Greece and 
               celebrating Greek and American democracy.

Whereas the ancient Greeks developed the concept of democracy, in which the 
        supreme power to govern was vested in the people;
Whereas the Founding Fathers of the United States, many of whom read Greek 
        political philosophy in its original text, drew heavily on the political 
        experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our 
        representative democracy;
Whereas the Greek national anthem (Hymn to Liberty) includes the words, ``Most 
        heartily was gladdened George Washington's brave land'';
Whereas Greek Commander in Chief Petros Mavromichalis, a founder of the modern 
        Greek state, said to the citizens of the United States in 1821 that ``it 
        is in your land that liberty has fixed her abode and . . . in imitating 
        you, we shall imitate our ancestors and be thought worthy of them if we 
        succeed in resembling you'';
Whereas the people of the United States generously offered humanitarian 
        assistance to the Greek people during their struggle for independence;
Whereas Greece played a major role in the World War II struggle to protect 
        freedom and democracy through such bravery as was shown in the historic 
        Battle of Crete, which provided the Axis land war with its first major 
        setback, setting off a chain of events that significantly affected the 
        outcome of World War II;
Whereas the price for Greece in holding onto our common values in their region 
        was high, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in Greece 
        during World War II;
Whereas, throughout the 20th century, Greece was one of a few countries that 
        allied with the United States in every major international conflict;
Whereas Greece is a strategic partner and ally of the United States in bringing 
        political stability and economic development to the volatile Balkan 
        region, having invested over $20,000,000,000 in the countries of the 
        region, thereby creating over 200,000 new jobs, and having contributed 
        over $750,000,000 in development aid for the region;
Whereas Greece was extraordinarily responsive to requests by the United States 
        during the war in Iraq, as Greece immediately granted unlimited access 
        to its airspace and the base in Souda Bay, and many ships of the United 
        States that delivered troops, cargo, and supplies to Iraq were refueled 
        in Greece;
Whereas Greece is an active participant in peacekeeping and peace-building 
        operations conducted by international organizations, including the 
        United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the 
        European Union (EU), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation 
        in Europe (OSCE);
Whereas in August 2004, the Olympic Games came home to Athens, Greece, the land 
        of their ancient birthplace 2,500 years ago and the city of their modern 
        revival in 1896;
Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its extraordinary handling during 
        the 2004 Olympics of over 14,000 athletes and over 2,000,000 spectators 
        and journalists, which it did efficiently, securely, and with its famous 
        Greek hospitality;
Whereas Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets Islam and Judaism, 
        maintains excellent relations with Muslim nations and Israel;
Whereas the Government of Greece has had extraordinary success in recent years 
        in furthering cross-cultural understanding and has been consistently 
        working for rapprochement with Turkey, as seen with the January 2008 
        visit to Turkey by Greece's Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, the first 
        official visit by a Greek Prime Minister in 49 years;
Whereas Greece serves as a key transit country for the delivery of gas to Europe 
        via the Turkey-Greece-Italy Interconnector;
Whereas Greece and the United States are at the forefront of the effort for 
        freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and human rights;
Whereas those and similar ideals have forged a close bond between Greece and the 
        United States and their peoples;
Whereas March 25, 2009, Greek Independence Day, marks the 188th anniversary of 
        the beginning of the revolution that freed the Greek people from the 
        Ottoman Empire and celebrates the aspirations for democracy that the 
        peoples of Greece and the United States share; and
Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate this 
        anniversary with the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic 
        principles from which these two great nations were born: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress--
            (1) extends warm congratulations and best wishes to the 
        people of Greece as they celebrate the 188th anniversary of the 
        independence of Greece;
            (2) expresses support for the principles of democratic 
        governance to which the people of Greece are committed; and
            (3) notes the important role that Greece has played in the 
        wider European region and in the community of nations since 
        gaining its independence 188 years ago.
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