[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SENATE RESOLUTION 20--DESIGNATING MARCH 25, 2001, AS ``GREEK 
 INDEPENDENCE DAY: A NATIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION OF GREEK AND AMERICAN 
                              DEMOCRACY''

  Mr. SPECTER (for himself, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Murkowski, 
Mr. Cochran, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Harkin, Mr. Reed, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Lieberman, 
Ms. Snowe, Mr. Biden, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
Jeffords, Mr. Gregg, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Graham, 
Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Warner, Mr. Levin, Mr. 
DeWine, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Domenici, 
Mr. Thompson, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Smith of Oregon, Mr. Sessions, Mr. 
Hagel, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Hutchison, 
and Mr. Reid) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.

                               S. Res. 20

       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 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, ``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 Greece is 1 of only 3 nations in the world, beyond 
     the former British Empire, that has been allied with the 
     United States in every major international conflict in the 
     twentieth century;
       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 and in 
     Greece presenting the Axis land war with its first major 
     setback, which set off a chain of events that significantly 
     affected the outcome of World War II;
       Whereas former President Clinton, during his visit to 
     Greece on November 20, 1999, referred to modern-day Greece as 
     ``a beacon of democracy, a regional leader for stability, 
     prosperity and freedom'', and President George W. Bush, in a 
     letter to the Prime Minister of Greece, Constantinos Simitis, 
     in January 2001, referred to the ``stable foundations and 
     common values'' that are the basis of relations between 
     Greece and the United States;
       Whereas Greece and the United States are at the forefront 
     of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and 
     human rights;
       Whereas those and other ideals have forged a close bond 
     between our 2 nations and their peoples;
       Whereas March 25, 2001, marks the 180th anniversary of the 
     beginning of the revolution that freed the Greek people from 
     the Ottoman Empire; and
       Whereas it is proper and desirable to celebrate with the 
     Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from 
     which our 2 great nations were born: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 25, 2001, as ``Greek Independence Day: 
     A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American 
     Democracy''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling on the people of the United States to observe the day 
     with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, today I am pleased to submit a resolution 
along with fifty-one of my colleagues to designate March 25, 2001, as 
``Greek Independence Day: A Celebration of Greek and American 
Democracy.''
  One hundred and eighty years ago, the Greeks began the revolution 
that would free them from the Ottoman Empire and return Greece to its 
democratic heritage. It was, of course, the ancient Greeks who 
developed the concept of democracy in which the supreme power to govern 
was vested in the people. Our Founding Fathers drew heavily upon the 
political and philosophical experience of ancient Greece in forming our 
representative democracy. Thomas Jefferson proclaimed that, ``to the 
ancient Greeks . . . we are all indebted for the light which led 
ourselves out of Gothic darkness.'' It is fitting, then, that we should 
recognize the anniversary of the beginning of their efforts to return 
to that democratic tradition.
  The democratic form of government is only one of the most obvious of 
the many benefits we have gained from the Greek people. The ancient 
Greeks contributed a great deal to the modern world, particularly to 
the United States of America, in the areas of art, philosophy, science 
and law. Today, Greek-Americans continue to enrich our culture and make 
valuable contributions to American society, business, and government.
  It is my hope that strong support for this resolution in the Senate 
will serve as a clear goodwill gesture to the people of Greece with 
whom we have enjoyed such a close bond throughout history. Similar 
resolutions have been passed by the Senate since 1984 with overwhelming 
support. Accordingly, I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in 
supporting this important resolution.

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