III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 398 

Recognizing the 191st anniversary of the independence of Greece and 

celebrating Greek and American democracy. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 15, 2012 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, 

Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. CARPER, Mr. 

KOHL, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. INOUYE, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mr. CASEY, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. REED, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mrs. BOXER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. WYDEN, 

Mr. LUGAR, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. COBURN, Mr. ISAKSON, 

Mr. KIRK, and Mr. CHAMBLISS) submitted the following resolution; which 

was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 191st anniversary of the independence of 

Greece and celebrating Greek and American democracy. 

Whereas the ancient Greeks 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, drew heavily on the political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our representative 

democracy; 


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•SRES 398 ATS 

Whereas Greek Commander in Chief Petros Mavromichalis, a 

founder of the modern Greek state, said to the citizens 

of the United States in 1821 that ‘‘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, in one of the most consequential ‘‘David vs. 

Goliath’’ victories for freedom and democracy in modern 

times, refused to surrender to the Axis forces and inflicted a fatal wound at a crucial moment in World War 

II, forcing Hitler to change his timeline and delaying the 

attack on Russia where the Axis Forces met defeat; 

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.’’; 

Whereas hundreds of thousands of Greek civilians were killed 

in Greece during World War II in defense of the values 

of the Allies; 

Whereas, throughout the 20th century, Greece was one of a 

few countries that allied with the United States in every 

major international conflict; 

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 in the countries of the region, thereby helping to 


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•SRES 398 ATS 

create many tens of thousands of new jobs, and having 

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

for the region; 

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, and have more recently provided critical support to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation in Libya; 

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 nations and Israel; 

Whereas the Government of Greece has taken important 

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

fields with Turkey, and has also upgraded 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 for freedom, 

democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; 

Whereas those and similar ideals have forged a close bond between the people of Greece and the United States; and 


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•SRES 398 ATS 

Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to 

celebrate March 25, 2012, Greek Independence Day, with 

the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great nations were born: 

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 191st 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 

11 191 years ago. 

Æ 


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