[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 254 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 254

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2021

 Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. 
  Sarbanes, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Pappas, and Mr. Sires) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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, including 
        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, 
        Christians, 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 British nobleman 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 opened the New Acropolis Museum in 2009 which houses the Marbles 
        that were not removed to the United Kingdom by Lord Elgin and displays 
        them alongside plaster replicas of the Marbles currently in the British 
        Museum so visitors can see the entire frieze as it was designed around 
        the Temple of Athena;
Whereas it has been 200 years since the British Government voted to purchase the 
        Marbles;
Whereas the Greek Government has publicly supported working with the British 
        Government in a diplomatic manner 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; and
Whereas British Members of Parliament across the political spectrum have 
        supported legislation to authorize the return of the Marbles to Greece: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Congress that the Government 
of the United Kingdom should enter into negotiations with the 
Government of Greece to facilitate return of the Parthenon Marbles to 
Greece.
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