III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 394 

Recognizing the 195th anniversary of the independence of Greece and 

celebrating democracy in Greece and the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 9, 2016 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. KIRK, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. 

WHITEHOUSE, Mr. REED, Mr. PETERS, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. RUBIO, and 

Mr. BROWN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 195th 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, 


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•SRES 394 IS 

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 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 people of Greece during 

their struggle for independence; 

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, ‘‘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 the people of Greece were 

killed during World War II; 

Whereas Greece consistently allied with the United States in 

major international conflicts throughout the 20th century; 

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 billions of dollars in the countries of the region and having 

contributed more than $750,000,000 in development aid 

for the region; 


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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 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 the government and people of 

Greece handled efficiently, securely, and with hospitality; 

Whereas Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets 

Islam and Judaism, maintains excellent relations with 

Muslim countries and Israel; 

Whereas European Council President Donald Tusk stated 

during a press conference in Athens on February 16, 

2016, ‘‘The migratory crisis we are currently witnessing 

is testing our Union to its limits. And Greece is among 

the most affected countries. It is no coincidence that the 

Greek citizens on the islands have been nominated to the 

Nobel Peace Prize for their generosity in helping people 

in need.’’; 

Whereas the Government of Greece has taken important 

steps in recent years to further cross-cultural understanding, rapprochement, and cooperation in various 

fields with Turkey, and has also improved its relations 

with other countries in the region, including Israel, thus 

enhancing the stability of the wider region; 

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; 


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Whereas those efforts and similar ideals have forged a close 

bond between the people of Greece and the United 

States; and 

Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to 

celebrate March 25, 2016, 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) extends warm congratulations and best 

3 wishes to the people of Greece as they celebrate the 

4 195th anniversary of the independence of Greece; 

5 (2) expresses support for the principles of 

6 democratic governance to which the people of Greece 

7 are committed; and 

8 (3) notes the important role that Greece has 

9 played in the wider European region and in the com10 munity of nations since gaining its independence 

11 195 years ago. 

Æ 


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