[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 119 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 119
Recognizing the 202nd anniversary of the independence of Greece and
celebrating democracy in Greece and the United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 23, 2023
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Rubio, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Cruz, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Hagerty,
Mr. Coons, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Rounds,
Mr. Booker, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Braun, Ms. Duckworth, Mr.
Scott of Florida, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Reed, Mr.
Carper, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Brown, Mr. Casey, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Bennet,
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Warren, Mr. Peters, Ms. Hassan,
Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Warnock, and
Mr. Fetterman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 202nd anniversary of the independence of Greece and
celebrating democracy in Greece and the United States.
Whereas the people of ancient Greece 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 language, drew heavily on the
political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming the
representative democracy of the United States;
Whereas Petros Mavromichalis, the former Commander in Chief of Greece and 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, in an October 21, 1823, letter to Greek scholar Adamantios Koraes
discussing the ongoing Greek struggle for independence, Thomas Jefferson
wrote that ``[n]o people sympathise more feelingly than ours with the
sufferings of your countrymen, none offer more sincere and ardent
prayers to heaven for their success'';
Whereas, on January 19, 1824, in a speech in support of his resolution to send
an American envoy to Greece amid its struggle for independence, then-
Congressman Daniel Webster recognized ``the struggle of an interesting
and gallant people . . . contending against fearful odds, for being, and
for the common privilege of human nature'';
Whereas individual American Philhellenes, including future abolitionist Dr.
Samuel Gridley Howe, future abolitionist Jonathan Peckham Miller, and
George Jarvis, traveled to Greece to fight alongside and provide aid to
the Greek people in their struggle for independence;
Whereas the people of the United States generously sent humanitarian assistance
to the people of Greece during their struggle for independence, often
through philhellene committees;
Whereas Greece heroically resisted Axis forces at a crucial moment in World War
II, forcing Adolf Hitler to change his timeline and delaying the attack
on Russia;
Whereas Winston Churchill said that ``if there had not been the virtue and
courage of the Greeks, we do not know which the outcome of World War II
would have been'' and ``no longer will we say that Greeks fight like
heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks'';
Whereas hundreds of thousands of Greeks were killed during World War II;
Whereas Greece consistently allied with the United States in major international
conflicts throughout its history as a modern State;
Whereas the United States has demonstrated its support for the trilateral
partnership of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus by enacting into law the
Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 (title
II of division J of Public Law 116-94) and through joint engagement with
Greece, Israel, and Cyprus in the ``3+1'' format;
Whereas this support was bolstered in the United States-Greece Defense and
Interparliamentary Partnership Act of 2021 (subtitle B of title XIII of
Public Law 117-81), establishing a 3+1 Interparliamentary Group to
discuss the expansion of co-operation in other areas of common concern;
Whereas the United States and Greece's commitment to security cooperation led to
the conclusion of a Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, which was
updated in 2021, in order to enhance defense ties between the two
countries and promote stability in the broader region;
Whereas the ongoing United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue reflects Greece's
importance to the United States as a geostrategic partner, especially in
the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans, and as an important NATO ally;
Whereas Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Greece in February 2023,
for the fourth United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue and along with
the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister
Nikos Dendias reaffirmed the importance of the United States-Greece
relationship and pledged to continue and increase cooperation based on
shared values and interests;
Whereas Greece and the United States have joined their democratic allies in
standing in support of Ukraine following Russia's unprovoked invasion
and in December 2022, Foreign Minister of Greece Nikos Dendias said
Greece's ``support towards the territorial integrity and national
sovereignty of Ukraine is principled and unwavering'';
Whereas the Government and people of Greece actively participate 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 remains an integral part of the European Union;
Whereas the Greek-American community has greatly contributed to American society
and has helped forge the strong ties between the United States and
Greece;
Whereas the Governments and people of Greece and the United States are at the
forefront of efforts to advance freedom, democracy, peace, stability,
and human rights;
Whereas those efforts and similar ideals have forged a close bond between the
peoples of Greece and the United States; and
Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate March 25,
2023, Greek Independence Day, with the people of Greece and to reaffirm
the democratic principles from which those two great countries were
founded: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) extends sincere congratulations and best wishes to the
people of Greece as they celebrate the 202nd anniversary of the
independence of Greece;
(2) expresses support for the principles of democratic
governance to which the people of Greece are committed;
(3) commends the Greek-American community for its
contributions to the United States and its role as a bridge
between the two countries;
(4) notes the important role that Greece has played in the
wider European region and in the community of nations since
gaining its independence 202 years ago; and
(5) commends Greece's support for the people of Ukraine in
their fight for freedom against Russian aggression.
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