[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE AMERICAN 
              HELLENIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 79, S. Con. Res. 14.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 14) commemorating the 
     85th anniversary of the founding of the American Hellenic 
     Educational Progressive Association, a leading association 
     for the 1,300,000 United States citizens of Greek ancestry 
     and Philhellenes in the United States.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to 
this matter be printed in the Record, with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 14) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 14

       Whereas the American Hellenic Educational Progressive 
     Association (AHEPA) was founded on July 26, 1922, in Atlanta, 
     Georgia, by 8 visionary Greek immigrants to help unify, 
     organize, and protect against the bigotry, discrimination, 
     and defamation faced by people of all ethnic, racial, and 
     religious backgrounds perpetrated predominantly by the Ku 
     Klux Klan;
       Whereas the mission of AHEPA is to promote the ideals of 
     ancient Greece, which include philanthropy, education, civic 
     responsibility, and family and individual excellence through 
     community service and volunteerism;
       Whereas, since its inception, AHEPA has instilled in its 
     members an understanding of their Hellenic heritage and an 
     awareness of the contributions made by Greece to the 
     development of democratic principles and governance in the 
     United States and throughout the world;
       Whereas AHEPA has done much throughout its history to 
     foster patriotism in the United States;
       Whereas members of AHEPA have served in the Armed Forces to 
     protect the freedom of the United States and to preserve the 
     democratic ideals that are part of the Hellenic legacy;
       Whereas, in World War II, members of AHEPA were parachuted 
     behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Greece to help liberate 
     the country;
       Whereas AHEPA raised more than $253,000,000 for United 
     States war bonds during World War II, for which AHEPA was 
     named an official Issuing Agent for United States War Bonds 
     by the Department of Treasury, an honor that no other civic 
     organization was able to achieve at the time;
       Whereas the members of AHEPA donated $612,000 for 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 was awarded 
     $500,000,000 by the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development for its Section 202 Program, which has yielded 
     4,370 units in 80 properties across 21 States and 49 cities 
     and has provided dignified, affordable housing to senior 
     citizens;
       Whereas AHEPA was recognized by the Department of State as 
     an organization that 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;
       Whereas members of AHEPA raised $110,000 for the George C. 
     Marshall Statue to be 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 an outstanding statesman and Philhellene, 
     General Marshall;
       Whereas AHEPA financially supports scholarships, 
     educational chairs, medical research, and countless other 
     charitable and philanthropic causes by contributing more than 
     $2,000,000 annually from its national, district, and local 
     levels collectively;
       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 Sculpture, the fan-like structure of 
     which helped to save lives during the bombing at Centennial 
     Olympic Park;
       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 officials at the local and State 
     levels throughout the United States; and
       Whereas President George H.W. Bush cited AHEPA as one of 
     the ``thousand points of light'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the significant contributions of United 
     States citizens of Hellenic heritage to the United States;
       (2) commemorates the 85th anniversary of the founding of 
     the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association 
     (AHEPA), applauds its mission, and commends the many 
     charitable contributions of its members to communities around 
     the world; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     the 85th anniversary of the founding of AHEPA and celebrate 
     its many accomplishments.

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