IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 251 

Recognizing the 202d anniversary of the War of Greek Independence. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 24, 2023 

Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, Ms. TITUS, Mr. 

PALLONE, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. MAGAZINER, and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 202d anniversary of the War of Greek 

Independence. 

Whereas the concept of democracy, in which the supreme 

power to govern was vested in the people, was developed 

in ancient Greece; 

Whereas the Founding Fathers of the United States were inspired by ancient Greek political philosophy when forming the political system of the United States; 

Whereas the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence inspired the uprising of the Greek people against the 

Ottoman Empire and were reflected in the revolutionary 

Greek Constitutions; 


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•HRES 251 IH 

Whereas the War of Greek Independence initiated the struggle for self-determination of all the occupied nations of 

the Ottoman Empire; 

Whereas 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 the United States and Greece have been allies in all 

international conflicts throughout modern history; 

Whereas the Greek-American community has positively contributed to American society and has helped forge the 

ties between the United States and Greece; 

Whereas the United States has greatly contributed to the reconstruction of Greece after World War II; 

Whereas North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership has further tightened the cooperation between the 

United States and Greece; 

Whereas Greece is an integral part of the European Union; 

Whereas Greece is a strategic partner of the United States 

in bringing political stability and economic development 

to the Balkan region, having actively contributed to the 

Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries of the region 

and having been 1 of the major investors in southeastern 

Europe, including in critical infrastructure; 


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•HRES 251 IH 

Whereas the address of the Prime Minister of Greece, 

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to a joint session of Congress in 

May 2022 consolidated the strong ties between the 2 

countries, based on shared values, as well as the importance of the Greek-American community for the United 

States; 

Whereas Greece participates in and actively promotes several 

schemes of regional partnership in the Eastern Mediterranean; 

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, and through joint 

engagement with Greece, Israel, and Cyprus in the 

‘‘3+1’’ format; 

Whereas this support was reiterated in the United StatesGreece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act, 

included in the National Defense Authorization Act for 

Fiscal Year 2022, establishing a 3+1 Interparliamentary 

Group to discuss the expansion of cooperation 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 2 

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, namely in the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans and as an important NATO ally; 


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•HRES 251 IH 

Whereas the Governments and people of Greece and the 

United States are at the forefront of international efforts 

to advance freedom, democracy, rule of law, human 

rights, peace, and stability; 

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 the 202d anniversary of the March 25, 1821, 

Greek Independence Day with the people of Greece, and 

to reaffirm the democratic principles from which those 2 

great countries were founded: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) extends warm congratulations and best 

3 wishes to the people of Greece as they celebrate the 

4 202d anniversary of the War of Greek Independence; 

5 (2) expresses support for the principles of de6 mocracy, human rights, and the rule of law to which 

7 the people of the United States and Greece are com8 mitted; 

9 (3) notes the important role that Greece has 

10 played in the wider European region and in the com11 munity of nations since gaining its independence; 

12 (4) commends the Greek-American community 

13 for its contributions to the United States and its 

14 role as a bridge between the 2 countries; and 

15 (5) commends the geostrategic importance of 

16 Greece at the junction of 3 continents and in parVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:39 Mar 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR251.IH HR251

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•HRES 251 IH 

1 ticular the critical role Greece plays in promoting 

2 stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and Western 

3 Balkans. 

Æ 


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