[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 9, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S2461]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY

  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary 
Committee be discharged from further action on S. Res. 308, and the 
Senate now proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 308) designating March 25, 2004, as 
     ``Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of 
     Greek and American Democracy.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. NICKLES. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the 
table en bloc, and any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 308) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 308

       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 one of only three nations in the world, 
     beyond the former British Empire, that has been allied with 
     the United States in every major international conflict for 
     more than 100 years;
       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 that 
     presented 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 our common values 
     in their region was high, as hundreds of thousands of 
     civilians were killed in Greece during the World War II 
     period;
       Whereas President George W. Bush, in recognizing Greek 
     Independence Day, said, ``Greece and America have been firm 
     allies in the great struggles for liberty. Americans will 
     always remember Greek heroism and Greek sacrifice for the 
     sake of freedom . . . [and] as the 21st Century dawns, Greece 
     and America once again stand united; this time in the fight 
     against terrorism. The United States deeply appreciates the 
     role Greece is playing in the war against terror. . . . 
     America and Greece are strong allies, and we're strategic 
     partners.'';
       Whereas Greece is a stabilizing force by virtue of its 
     political and economic power in the volatile Balkan region 
     and is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe;
       Whereas Greece, through excellent work and cooperation with 
     United States and international law enforcement agencies, 
     arrested and convicted key members of the November 17 
     terrorist organization;
       Whereas President Bush stated that Greece's successful 
     ``law enforcement operations against a terrorist organization 
     [November 17] responsible for three decades of terrorist 
     attacks underscore the important contributions Greece is 
     making to the global war on terrorism'';
       Whereas the Olympic Games will be coming home in August 
     2004 to Athens, Greece, the land of their ancient birthplace 
     2,500 years ago and the city of their modern revival in 1896;
       Whereas the unprecedented Olympic security effort in 
     Greece, including a record-setting expenditure of over 
     $850,000,000 and assignment of over 50,000 security 
     personnel, as well as the utilization of a 7-country Olympic 
     Security Advisory Group which includes the United States, 
     will contribute to a safe and secure environment for staging 
     the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece;
       Whereas Greece, geographically located in a region where 
     Christianity meets Islam and Judaism, maintains excellent 
     relations with Muslim nations and Israel;
       Whereas Greece has had extraordinary success in recent 
     years in furthering cross-cultural understanding and reducing 
     tensions between Greece and Turkey;
       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 two nations and their peoples;
       Whereas March 25, 2004, marks the 183d 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 two great nations were born: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 25, 2004, 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.

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