[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1814-S1815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 463--RECOGNIZING THE CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL 
 SIGNIFICANCE OF NOWRUZ, EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO IRANIAN-AMERICANS 
 FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY, AND WISHING IRANIAN-AMERICANS AND 
                THE PEOPLE OF IRAN A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Webb, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. 
Byrd, Mr. Burris, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. McCain, 
Mr. Merkley, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Levin, Mr. Casey, and Mr. Cardin) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

       Whereas Nowruz marks the traditional Iranian New Year, 
     which originated in ancient Persia, and dates back more than 
     3,000 years;
       Whereas Nowruz, meaning a ``New Day'', occurs on the vernal 
     equinox and celebrates the arrival of spring;
       Whereas Nowruz symbolizes a time of renewal and community, 
     harkens the departure from the trials and tribulations of the 
     previous year, and brings hope for the New Year;

[[Page S1815]]

       Whereas Nowruz is celebrated by nearly 300,000,000 Iranians 
     and other peoples all over the world, including in the United 
     States, Iran, and other countries in Central Asia, South 
     Asia, Caucasus, Crimea, and the Balkan regions;
       Whereas Nowruz is celebrated by more than 1,000,000 
     Iranian-Americans of all backgrounds, including those with 
     Baha'i, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Zoroastrian, and non-
     religious backgrounds;
       Whereas the people of Iran have a long history of 
     celebrating Nowruz and are congratulated for their bringing 
     in of the New Year;
       Whereas Nowruz embodies the tradition that each 
     individual's thinking, speaking, and conduct should always be 
     virtuous and the ideal of compassion for our fellow human 
     beings regardless of ethnicity or religion, and symbolizes a 
     time of renewal and community;
       Whereas the United States is a melting pot of ethnicities 
     and religion and Nowruz contributes to the richness of 
     American culture and is consistent with our founding 
     principles of peace and prosperity for all;
       Whereas in 539 B.C., Cyrus the Great established one of the 
     earliest charters on human rights, which abolished slavery 
     and allowed for freedom of religion, and this marker in 
     Iranian history has had significant impact on the respect for 
     human rights that Iranian-Americans carry today;
       Whereas Nowruz serves to remind the people of the United 
     States of the many noteworthy and lasting contributions of 
     Iranian-Americans to the social and economic fabric of 
     society in the United States;
       Whereas Iranian-Americans continue to make contributions in 
     all sectors of public life in the United States, including as 
     government, military, and law enforcement officials working 
     to uphold the Constitution of the United States and to 
     protect all people in the United States;
       Whereas Iranian-Americans are vibrant, peaceful, and law-
     abiding citizens, many of whom are of the Baha'i, Christian, 
     Jewish, Muslim, and Zoroastrian faiths; and
       Whereas the Iranian-American community continues to enrich 
     the tapestry of the diversity in the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the cultural and historical significance of 
     Nowruz;
       (2) encourages the peaceful observance of the Nowruz 
     holiday in Iran, and strongly supports the right of all 
     Iranians to exercise freedom of assembly, freedom of 
     expression, and freedom of speech;
       (3) expresses its appreciation for the contributions of 
     Iranian-Americans to society in the United States in 
     observance of Nowruz; and
       (4) wishes Iranian-Americans and the people of Iran and all 
     those who observe this holiday a prosperous new year.
                                 ______
                                 

    SENATE RESOLUTION 464--RECOGNIZING THE 189TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
  INDEPENDENCE OF GREECE AND CELEBRATING GREEK AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

  Mr. SPECTER (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Bennett, Mr. 
Casey, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Carper, Mr. Menendez, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Cochran, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. LeMieux, Mr. 
Risch, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Levin, Mr. Dodd, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
Bingaman, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Nelson of Florida, 
Mr. Reed, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Reid) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 464

       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 the original Greek, 
     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 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 Greek national anthem, the ``Hymn to Liberty'', 
     includes the words, ``Most heartily was gladdened George 
     Washington's brave land'';
       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 hundreds of thousands of Greek civilians were 
     killed in Greece during World War II in defense of the values 
     of the Allies;
       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 
     more than $20,000,000,000 in the countries of the region, 
     thereby helping to create more than 200,000 new jobs, and 
     having contributed more than $750,000,000 in development aid 
     for the region;
       Whereas Greece actively participates in peacekeeping and 
     peace-building operations conducted by international 
     organizations including the United Nations, the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and the 
     Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe;
       Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its 
     extraordinary handling during the 2004 Olympic Games of more 
     than 14,000 athletes and more than 2,000,000 spectators and 
     journalists, a feat Greece handled efficiently, securely, and 
     with 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 taken important steps 
     in recent years in furthering cross-cultural understanding 
     and rapprochement with Turkey, as seen with the October 2009 
     visit to Turkey by the Prime Minister of Greece, George 
     Papandreou, as his first trip abroad just days after being 
     elected;
       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
       Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to 
     celebrate March 25, 2010, Greek Independence Day, 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 Senate--
       (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.

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