III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 547 

Recognizing the 201st anniversary of Greek Independence and celebrating 

democracy in Greece and the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 15, 2022 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. BARRASSO) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 201st anniversary of Greek Independence 

and celebrating democracy in Greece and the United States. 

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, which many 

of them read in the original Greek language, when they 

formed 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 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 547 IS 

be thought worthy of them if we succeed in resembling 

you’’; 

Whereas Thomas Jefferson wrote, in an October 21, 1823, 

letter to Greek scholar Adamantios Koraes discussing the 

ongoing Greek struggle for independence, 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 then-Congressman Daniel Webster, on January 19, 

1824, in a speech in support of his resolution to send an 

American envoy to Greece amid its struggle for independence, recognized ‘‘the struggle of an interesting and gallant people . . . contending against fearful odds, for 

being, and for the common privilege of human nature’’; 

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 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’’; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 547 IS 

Whereas the United States and Greece have been allies in 

major international conflicts throughout modern history; 

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

ties between the United States and Greece; 

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

Whereas NATO membership has further enhanced 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 a major investor in Southeastern Europe, including in critical infrastructure; 

Whereas Greece participates in and actively promotes several 

formats for 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 (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 StatesGreece 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; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 547 IS 

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 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 March 25, 2022, 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 201st anniversary of the independence of Greece; 

5 (2) expresses support for the principles of 

6 democratic governance to which the people of the 

7 United States and Greece are committed; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 547 IS 

1 (3) notes the important role that Greece has 

2 played in the wider European region and in the com3 munity of nations since gaining its independence; 

4 (4) commends the contributions of the Greek5 American community to the United States and its 

6 role as a bridge between the two countries; 

7 (5) commends the critical role Greece plays in 

8 promoting stability in the Eastern Mediterranean 

9 and Western Balkans; and 

10 (6) appreciates the important energy partner11 ship that exists between the United States and 

12 Greece, and the important role that Greece plays in 

13 bolstering European energy security. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS