[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 82 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 82

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 23, 2009

  Mr. Specter (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. 
    Casey, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. 
  Whitehouse, Mr. Reed, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Begich, Mr. 
 Martinez, Mr. Levin, Mr. Chambliss, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Cochran, Mr. 
Feingold, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Gregg, 
  Mr. Bennett, Mr. Carper, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Kohl, Mr. 
   Risch, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Isakson, Mrs. Murray, Ms. 
  Murkowski, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Nelson of Florida, and Mr. 
 Johnson) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 the original Greek, drew heavily on the 
        political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our 
        representative democracy;
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 Greek national anthem, the ``Hymn to Liberty'', includes the words, 
        ``Most heartily was gladdened George Washington's brave land'';
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 hundreds of thousands of Greek civilians were killed in Greece during 
        World War II in defense of the values of the Allies;
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 more than $20,000,000,000 in the countries of 
        the region, thereby helping to create more than 200,000 new jobs, and 
        having contributed more than $750,000,000 in development aid for the 
        region;
Whereas Greece actively participates in peacekeeping and peace-building 
        operations conducted by international organizations including the United 
        Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and 
        the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe;
Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its extraordinary handling during 
        the 2004 Olympic Games of more than 14,000 athletes and more than 
        2,000,000 spectators and journalists, a feat Greece handled efficiently, 
        securely, and with 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 taken important steps in recent years in 
        furthering cross-cultural understanding and rapprochement with Turkey, 
        as seen with the January 2008 visit to Turkey by the Prime Minister of 
        Greece, Kostas Karamanlis, the first official visit by a Greek Prime 
        Minister in 49 years;
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
Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate March 25, 
        2009, Greek Independence Day, with the Greek people and to reaffirm the 
        democratic principles from which these two great nations were born: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (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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