[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 675 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 675

  Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the American 
             Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2022

  Mr. Van Hollen (for himself and Mr. Rubio) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the American 
             Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.

Whereas the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (referred to 
        in this preamble as ``AHEPA'') was founded on July 26, 1922, in Atlanta, 
        Georgia, by 8 visionary Greek immigrants to help unify, organize, and 
        protect individuals of all ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds 
        against the bigotry, discrimination, and defamation perpetrated 
        predominantly by the Ku Klux Klan;
Whereas the mission of AHEPA is to promote the Hellenic ideals of ancient 
        Greece, which include philanthropy, education, civic responsibility, and 
        family and individual excellence through community service and 
        volunteerism;
Whereas, since the inception of AHEPA, the organization has instilled in the 
        members of AHEPA an understanding of their Hellenic heritage and an 
        awareness of the contributions that Hellenic heritage has made to the 
        development of democratic principles and governance in the United States 
        and throughout the world;
Whereas AHEPA has done much throughout the history of the organization to foster 
        patriotism in the United States;
Whereas members of AHEPA have served in the Armed Forces of the United States to 
        protect the freedom of the people of the United States and to preserve 
        those democratic ideals that are part of the Hellenic legacy;
Whereas, in World War II, members of AHEPA parachuted behind enemy lines in 
        Nazi-occupied Greece to help liberate Greece;
Whereas AHEPA raised more than $253,000,000 for United States war bonds during 
        World War II, and, as a result of the effort, AHEPA was named an 
        official issuing agent for United States war bonds by the Department of 
        the Treasury, an honor that no other civic organization had yet 
        achieved;
Whereas, in 1990, the members of AHEPA donated $612,000 toward the restoration 
        of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, New York, for which AHEPA 
        received special recognition by the Department of the Interior;
Whereas the AHEPA National Housing Program has sponsored safe and dignified 
        affordable housing for vulnerable senior citizens under the Section 202 
        Supportive Housing for the Elderly program (administered by the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development and authorized under section 
        202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q)), and the sponsorship 
        has a portfolio of 4,467 units in 87 communities in 19 States;
Whereas AHEPA has engaged in ``Track Two Diplomacy'' to foster reconciliation 
        and rapprochement in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is in the best 
        interest of the United States, and has enhanced people-to-people ties 
        between countries;
Whereas AHEPA financially supports scholarships, natural disaster and 
        humanitarian relief, medical research, and countless other charitable 
        and philanthropic causes by contributing more than $2,200,000 annually 
        from the national, district, and local levels of AHEPA;
Whereas generations of Greek American women and Philhellenes have worked to 
        strengthen society through service organizations, such as the Daughters 
        of Penelope, in order to--

    (1) provide affordable housing for older adults;

    (2) sponsor and support domestic violence shelters;

    (3) provide scholarship awards;

    (4) raise awareness and provide financial support for medical research 
and charitable causes; and

    (5) help those in need of humanitarian assistance or natural disaster 
relief;

Whereas, in the spirit of their Hellenic heritage and in commemoration of the 
        Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia, members of AHEPA 
        raised $775,000 for the Tribute to Olympism and Hellenism sculpture, the 
        fan-like structure of which helped to save lives during the 1996 Olympic 
        Bombing at Centennial Olympic Park;
Whereas members of AHEPA raised $110,000 for the creation of the George C. 
        Marshall Statue erected on the grounds of the United States Embassy in 
        Athens, Greece, in celebration of the historic relationship between the 
        United States and Greece and in tribute to General Marshall, an 
        outstanding statesman and Philhellene;
Whereas members of AHEPA raised $1,000,000 toward the rebuilding of Saint 
        Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade 
        Center, which was the only house of worship destroyed on September 11, 
        2001;
Whereas members of AHEPA have been Presidents and Vice Presidents of the United 
        States, United States Senators and Representatives, and United States 
        Ambassadors, and have served honorably as elected and appointed 
        officials at local and State levels throughout the United States; and
Whereas President George H. W. Bush cited AHEPA as 1 of the ``thousand points of 
        light'' in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the significant contributions to the United 
        States of citizens of Hellenic heritage;
            (2) commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the founding of 
        the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, 
        applauds its mission, and commends the many charitable 
        contributions of its members to communities in the United 
        States and around the world; and
            (3) requests the President to issue a proclamation 
        recognizing the 100th Anniversary and many accomplishments of 
        the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
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