[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 9, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1195-H1198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1545
        RECOGNIZING THE 189TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1107) recognizing the 189th 
anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrating Greek and 
American democracy.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1107

       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 its original text, 
     drew heavily on the political experience and philosophy of 
     ancient Greece in forming our representative democracy;
       Whereas the Greek national anthem (Hymn to Liberty) 
     includes the words, ``Most heartily was gladdened George 
     Washington's brave land'';
       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 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 the price for Greece in holding onto our common 
     values in their region was high, as hundreds of thousands of 
     civilians were killed in Greece during World War II;
       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 
     over $20,000,000,000 in the countries of the region, thereby 
     creating over 200,000 new jobs, and having contributed over 
     $750,000,000 in development aid for the region;
       Whereas Greece was extraordinarily responsive to requests 
     by the United States during the war in Iraq, as Greece 
     immediately granted unlimited access to its airspace and the 
     base in Souda Bay, and many ships of the United States that 
     delivered troops, cargo, and supplies to Iraq were refueled 
     in Greece;
       Whereas Greece is an active participant in peacekeeping and 
     peace-building operations conducted by international 
     organizations, including the United Nations, the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), 
     and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
     (OSCE);
       Whereas its Chairmanship of OSCE in 2009 underlined 
     Greece's continued commitment to the trans-Atlantic 
     community;
       Whereas in August 2004, the Olympic Games came home to 
     Athens, Greece, the land of their ancient birthplace 2,500 
     years ago and the city of their modern revival in 1896;
       Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its 
     extraordinary handling during the 2004 Olympics of over 
     14,000 athletes and over 2,000,000 spectators and 
     journalists, which it did efficiently, securely, and with its 
     famous Greek 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 had extraordinary 
     success in recent years in furthering cross-cultural 
     understanding and has been consistently working for 
     rapprochement with Turkey, as most recently demonstrated by 
     Prime Minister George Papandreou's visit to Turkey in October 
     2009, just days following his election, his first diplomatic 
     trip abroad;
       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 their peoples;
       Whereas March 25, 2010, Greek Independence Day, marks the 
     189th anniversary of the beginning of the revolution that 
     freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire and celebrates 
     the aspirations for democracy that the peoples of Greece and 
     the United States share; and
       Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to 
     celebrate this anniversary 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 House of Representatives--
       (1) extends warm congratulations and best wishes to the 
     people of Greece as they celebrate the 189th 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 189 years ago.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1107.
  I would like to begin by thanking my good friend and ranking member 
of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for her 
leadership in introducing this important resolution which marks the 
189th anniversary of Greek independence.
  I am pleased to announce that, moments ago, the administration 
accepted Greece as a participant in the Visa Waiver Program.
  As the birthplace of democracy, Greece stands alone among nations in 
its influence over our modern American Government. Our Founders 
fashioned our society based in significant part on the political 
experience and philosophy of the ancient Greeks.
  Today, we stand here in a room surrounded by images of some of the 
greatest thinkers of world history, many of them Greek. We stand in a 
building inspired by ancient Greek architectural designs. We continue 
to legislate today under Greek ideals of democratic governance.
  The Greek contribution to world culture is hardly limited to 
politics. From the ancient works of Homer, Plato, and Aristophanes, to 
the sculpture of Praxiteles, to the ethical sensibility of Hippocrates, 
to the mathematical insights of Archimedes and Pythagoras, we are 
indebted to the Greek nation for its scientific, philosophical, and 
artistic contributions to the development of the finest aspects of 
civilization.
  The Greek-American bond, inspired by the ancients, remains vibrant 
today. Throughout the modern era, Greece has been one of the United 
States'

[[Page H1196]]

strongest allies, supporting us in every major international conflict. 
Today, our two nations express their mutual commitment to safeguarding 
democracy and freedom through a partnership in NATO and through 
bilateral defense cooperation.
  Situated at the crossroads of three continents, Greece holds a 
strategic position in the Mediterranean region. Over the past decade, 
Athens has pursued path-breaking diplomacy that has resulted, for 
example, in meaningful rapprochement with neighboring Turkey.
  In that regard, we especially want to welcome to Washington Prime 
Minister George Papandreou, who is visiting us this very week. As 
foreign minister in the 1990s and in the first years of this century, 
Mr. Papandreou was essentially the architect of that rapprochement with 
Turkey. Thanks largely to his vision, the threat of war in the Aegean, 
a near constant for many decades, has now diminished. In a remarkable 
gesture of friendship and reconciliation, Prime Minister Papandreou, 
newly elected last fall, made Turkey the site of his very first Prime 
Ministerial trip abroad.
  As we commemorate today the 189th anniversary of Greek independence, 
we would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge the rich contributions 
of Greek immigrants and their descendants to the United States. Their 
accomplishments are a testament to the greatness of their land of 
origin.
  Madam Speaker, I extend anniversary congratulations to Greece, an 
ancient country of noble traditions. I join with all Americans and 
democracy lovers throughout the world in celebrating Greek heritage and 
our thriving Greek-American friendship. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, the greatest aspect of Greek influence on our country 
has its roots in the classical era of ancient Greece--that point in 
time when the Greek political philosophy of democracy was born. In our 
political debates today, we can easily see the continuing influence of 
that classical age in our lives.
  How different would the world be today if the Greeks of that day had 
not stood up to the invading armies of the Persian Empire? 
Unfortunately, although the ancient Greek political philosophers first 
conceived of democratic self-government, after their time passed, the 
Greek nation, itself, in fact, became a part of larger empires.
  It was ruled for centuries by men with unquestioned and arbitrary 
power over life and death--the antithesis of democracy. By the start of 
the 1800s, however, the signs were clear. The Greek people saw the 
opportunity and were determined to win back their independence and to 
live in liberty once again.
  The most eloquent advocate for liberty in the nation of Greece in the 
early 19th century was a freedom fighter and a poet, who, before 
perishing in the struggle, penned the immortal line, ``Better 1 hour of 
free life than 40 years of slavery and prison.'' After the Greek 
Revolution was declared on March 25, 1821, this poem became a patriotic 
call for liberty and the motto for the freedom fighters of Greece.
  Our Founding Fathers shared that same passion for liberty, as 
evidenced by Patrick Henry's famous statement just a few decades 
earlier, ``Give me liberty or give me death''--a brave statement which 
is so familiar and so similar to the rallying cry of the Greek people 
during their historic struggle.
  Such are the shared ideals, the common values upon which the 
friendship between Greece and America was founded, and that friendship 
has, indeed, become a formal alliance.
  During the 20th century, in every major international conflict, Greek 
soldiers stood beside American soldiers in the fight for freedom and 
liberty.
  To this day, Greece supports our reconstruction and stabilization 
missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Greece has deployed an operational 
mentor and liaison team to assist NATO efforts to train the Afghan 
army. Further, the Souda Bay naval base on Crete has been a valuable 
support for the coalition forces in Iraq. During the brutal fighting in 
2005 alone, this Greek base supported over 11,000 U.S. military ships 
and planes on their way to Iraq.
  Greece has also contributed significant financial and diplomatic 
support to continuing stabilization efforts in the Balkan region, and 
it has effectively promoted such efforts in that region during the 2009 
chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in 
Europe.
  I was honored to have met with the Greek Prime Minister earlier today 
to discuss these issues and to discuss ways to continue strengthening 
our bilateral relationship.
  Greece continues today as a valued partner and as a strong friend of 
the United States. It is my pleasure to offer this resolution which 
recognizes the 189th anniversary of the independence of that great 
nation.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my 
friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).
  Mr. SARBANES. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor the 189th anniversary of Greek 
Independence Day. We are also celebrating today Greece's entry into the 
U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which is a strong affirmation of the close 
ties between our two nations.
  The American people and the people of Greece have been united by 
common values from the very beginning. Democracy, liberty, freedom, and 
the idea that the individual should have a say in the workings of 
society are the values we share and are the foundations upon which both 
of our great nations have been built and have prospered.
  It is no coincidence, therefore, that Greece and the United States 
have stood by each other's side in every major struggle. After all, our 
two great nations are the historical pillars of democracy: Greece as 
creator and America as promoter.
  By passing this resolution today, we commemorate the struggle of the 
Greek people to secure their freedom and to establish the modern 
Hellenic Republic.
  Today, as we know, Greece is facing particularly difficult 
challenges. Yesterday, as part of his 4-day visit to the United States, 
the Prime Minister of Greece, George Papandreou, delivered an address 
at the Brookings Institution in which he described those challenges and 
emphasized the important role the United States can play in ensuring 
that global speculators do not take further advantage of what remains a 
very fluid situation.

  America and Greece must stand together to ensure that the global 
economic system is restored, to support European democracy, and to 
foster peace and prosperity around the globe. We are strong allies and 
are up to the task. In that spirit, our country today congratulates 
Greece on the celebration of its independence, and we look forward to 
strengthening our mutual ties in the days to come.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my 
friend, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mrs. MALONEY. Thank you, my dear friend, for your leadership and for 
yielding to me.
  Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 1107 and as co-chair 
and cofounder of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I rise 
today to celebrate the entrance of Greece into the Visa Waiver Program 
and to celebrate the 189th anniversary of Greece's declaration of 
independence from the Ottoman Empire.
  Against incredibly difficult odds, the Greeks defeated one of the 
most powerful empires in history to win their independence. Following 
400 years of Ottoman rule, in March 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras 
raised the traditional Greek flag at the monastery of Agia Lavra, 
inciting his countrymen to rise against the Ottoman army.
  The bishop timed this act of revolution to coincide with the Greek 
Orthodox holiday celebrating the archangel Gabriel's announcement that 
the Virgin Mary was pregnant with the divine child. Bishop Germanos' 
message was clear: A new spirit was about to be born in Greece.
  The following year, the Treaty of Constantinople established full 
independence for Greece.
  New York City is home to the largest Hellenic population outside of 
Greece

[[Page H1197]]

and Cyprus. Western Queens, which I have the honor of representing, is 
often called ``Little Athens'' because of the large Hellenic population 
in that neighborhood. New Yorkers celebrate Greek Independence Day with 
a parade on Fifth Avenue, along with many cultural events and private 
gatherings. These events, hosted by the Federation of Hellenic 
Societies and other Hellenic and Philhellenic organizations and 
friends, remind us of the Hellenic American community's many 
contributions to our Nation's history and culture.
  I am also pleased that President Obama is continuing the tradition of 
holding a White House celebration in honor of Greek Independence Day.
  Relations between the United States and Greece remain strong with a 
shared commitment to ensuring stability in southeastern Europe.
  I hope permanent solutions can be found for ending the division of 
Cyprus and for finding a mutually agreeable name for the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Additionally, I have reintroduced 
legislation which urges Turkey to respect the rights and religious 
freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It is time for this 
suppression of religious freedom to come to an end and for Turkey to 
move in the direction of freedom and democracy.
  I, along with my colleagues, have worked to ensure that the process 
for Greece's entry into the Visa Waiver Program has continued to move 
forward. I have had legislation before this body for well over 6 years.
  In September of 2007, Greece was formally nominated for the Visa 
Waiver Program by the U.S. State Department and was the only member of 
the original 15 European Union nations not to belong to the Visa Waiver 
Program. In light of this, I was very, very pleased to learn that, just 
today, Secretary Napolitano announced the inclusion of Greece into the 
program. This is a most welcomed and long overdue development for 
Greece, the birthplace of democracy and one of our Nation's closest 
allies.
  I ask the Nation to join me in celebrating the Greeks' independence. 
I also join my colleagues in welcoming Prime Minister Papandreou, who 
is visiting this country for 4 days. It is also my sincere pleasure to 
pay tribute to New York's Hellenic American community and to its many 
contributions to our city and Nation.
  Zeto E Eleftheria. Long live freedom.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my 
colleagues for their thoughtful comments on this important matter. I 
want to thank the ranking member, my friend from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen), for her leadership on this matter.
  Before I yield back the balance of my time, I also want to thank both 
the majority and minority staffs of the committee for their fine work, 
and I want to thank my own staff member, Hera Abbasi, for her fine 
work, especially on our albinism resolution.
  Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, today, I congratulate Greece on her 189th 
anniversary of independence.
  Greece has long been a close ally to the United States and rightly 
so, given that our founding fathers formulated the American political 
philosophy from the Greek ideals that were first conceptualized in 500 
BC.
  Today, Greece is a partner in Afghanistan and continues to build 
bridges between cultures throughout Europe and the greater region.
  Greece promotes peaceful dialogue and understanding through its own 
negotiations, particularly in regards to its divided neighbor, Cyprus.
  Ending the occupation of Cyprus has long been a focus of my political 
career. Greece and Cyprus's steadfast commitment to finding peaceful 
people to people solutions to ending the occupation have touched and 
motivated my own work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In fact, 
Secretary Clinton described Cyprus as a strategic focal point in 
response to my questions on integrating the Island.
  Today, thousands of Turkish and Greek Cypriots pass through various 
passageways between the occupied North and the Republic of Cyprus. 
There has not been one incidence of violence and many Turkish Cypriots 
escape the congestion of the occupation and enjoy education and health 
benefits in the Republic that they do not have in the North.
  After over 35 years, it is time to bring peace to this island through 
a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation driven solely by the joint efforts 
of all Cypriots and Cypriots, only.
  On a similar note, Greece has for years pursued the deserved rights 
of the leader of the Orthodox Christians, the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 
I will continue to advocate for the Patriarchate's recognition. I 
believe that this recognition would not only benefit the Patriarchate's 
legacy, but Turkey's multi-cultural history, as well.
  Finally, I will work to make sure that a mutual agreeable name for 
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, FYROM, is reached. After 
all, Macedonia is Greek!
  Through its great history. Greece has always approached its own 
matters with grace. I am particularly proud of the Greek-Americans who, 
through, their advocacy and hard work, today heard the great news that 
Greece has finally been granted visa waiver status.
  I cannot tell you how happy I am that families will finally be 
comfortably reuniting after years of a discriminatory status.
  I thank President Obama and Secretary Napolitano for their decision 
and once again congratulate Greece on all that it has achieved and of 
course, all that it will achieve.
  Mr. SPACE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1107, a 
bill recognizing the 189th anniversary of the independence of Greece 
and celebrating Greek and American democracy.
  I am proud to support a bill whose significance is so extensive and 
which has such great personal meaning to me and my family members.
  I am extremely proud to call myself a Greek-American. My paternal 
grandfather emigrated from the island of Ikaria, Greece in the early 
20th century and earned his American citizenship by fighting in World 
War I for the U.S. yet, he never let go of his roots. My father served 
in the Marines during the Korean War and instilled in me a deep sense 
of patriotism and respect for our great country. My family, like so 
many other Greek-American families, has never forgotten that strong 
bond that exists between Greece and the United States.
  Our Founding Fathers looked to ancient Greece and her political 
wisdom. They drew on the enlightenment of the ancient texts to build a 
new representative democracy, deeply rooted in the philosophy and ethos 
of Greek government. Greece and the U.S. have always been at the 
forefront of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability and 
human rights, and those similarities are what have forged our enduring 
bond over the centuries.
  The solidarity between our two great countries has served us both 
throughout the years. The Greek people fought alongside American 
soldiers in the historic battles of World War II and have lent aid to 
our troops fighting in Iraq and in battlefields around the world. 
Whether in war, or in peace, the U.S. and Greece have been able to 
stand strong, firmly anchored by the democratic principles from which 
both of these two great nations were born.
  Today, as we celebrate the anniversary of this wonderful nation's 
independence, it is important that we continue to recognize the 
significance of Greek contributions to the global society. As an 
American, and as a Greek, I support H. Res. 1107 and ask my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Ms. TSONGAS. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this 
resolution, and a member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic 
Issues, I rise today in order to voice my heartfelt congratulations to 
the people of Greece on the 189th anniversary of their independence.
  Massachusetts' Fifth Congressional District has deep roots in the 
rich Greek-American community, as does my family--my husband Paul's 
family emigrated from Greece to Lowell, Massachusetts when his father 
was 3 years old.
  Our Nation has benefited tremendously from the contributions of the 
prominent Greek community that resides, works, and sustains a vibrant 
Greek heritage here in the United States.
  The bond between the United States and the nation of Greece has 
always been an exceptional alliance, anchored in our common values, 
traditions, and passion for freedom and democracy.
  President Obama has appropriately continued the tradition of holding 
a White House celebration in honor of Greek Independence Day, and I 
look forward to joining him this year to celebrate this historic 
occasion.
  This measure expresses the House of Representatives' support for the 
important partnership and strong relations between Greece and the 
United States over the past 189 years. To this day, Greece remains one 
of our greatest allies.
  I am proud to join the Greek-Americans of Massachusetts' Fifth 
District, and across our country, in celebrating the 189th anniversary 
of their independence day.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.

[[Page H1198]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1107.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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