III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 71 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 17, 2007 

Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 85th Anniversary of the founding of 

the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading association for the Nation’s 

1.3 million American citizens of Greek ancestry, and 

Philhellenes. 

Whereas the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) was founded July 26, 1922, in Atlanta, Georgia, by eight visionary Greek immigrants to 

help unify, organize, and protect against the bigotry, discrimination, and defamation faced by people of all ethnic, 

race, and religious backgrounds perpetrated predominantly by the Ku Klux Klan; 


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HCON 71 RFS 

Whereas the mission of AHEPA is to promote the ideals of 

ancient Greece, which include philanthropy, education, 

civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence 

through community service and volunteerism; 

Whereas since its inception, AHEPA has instilled in its members an understanding of their Hellenic heritage and an 

awareness of the contributions made to the development 

of democratic principles and governance in the United 

States and throughout the world; 

Whereas AHEPA has done much throughout its history to 

foster American patriotism; 

Whereas members of AHEPA served in the Armed Forces of 

the United States to protect American freedom and to 

preserve those democratic ideals that are part of the Hellenic legacy, and specifically in World War II, were 

parachuted behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Greece 

to help liberate it; 

Whereas AHEPA raised more than $253 million for United 

States War Bonds during World War II, for which 

AHEPA was named an official Issuing Agent for United 

States War Bonds by the Department of Treasury, an 

honor that no other civic organization was able to achieve 

at the time; 

Whereas the members of AHEPA donated $612,000 toward 

the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, 

New York, for which AHEPA received special recognition 

by the Department of the Interior; 

Whereas the AHEPA National Housing Program was awarded $500 million by the Department of Housing and 

Urban Development for its Section 202 Program that has 

yielded 4,370 units in 80 properties across 21 states and 


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49 cities which has provided dignified, affordable housing 

to senior citizens; 

Whereas AHEPA was recognized by the Department of State 

as an organization that has engaged in ‘‘Track Two Diplomacy’’ to foster reconciliation and rapprochement in 

the Eastern Mediterranean, which is in the best interest 

of the United States; 

Whereas members of AHEPA raised $110,000 for the creation of the George C. Marshall Statue erected on the 

grounds of the United States Embassy in Athens, Greece 

in celebration of the historic relationship between the 

United States and Greece, and in tribute to an outstanding Statesman and Philhellene, General Marshall; 

Whereas AHEPA financially supports scholarships, educational chairs, medical research, and countless other 

charitable and philanthropic causes by contributing more 

than $2,000,000 annually from its national, district, and 

local levels collectively; 

Whereas in the spirit of their Hellenic heritage and in commemoration of the Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia, members of AHEPA raised $775,000 for 

the ‘‘Tribute’’ to Olympism Sculpture, the ‘‘fan-like’’ 

structure of which helped to save lives during the Olympic Bombing at Centennial Olympic Park; 

Whereas members of AHEPA have been Presidents and Vice 

Presidents of the United States, United States Senators 

and Representatives, and United States Ambassadors, 

and have served honorably as elected officials at the local 

and State levels throughout the United States; and 


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Whereas President George H.W. Bush cited AHEPA as one 

of America’s ‘‘thousand points of light’’: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes the significant contributions of 

4 American citizens of Hellenic heritage to the United 

5 States, 

6 (2) commemorates the 85th Anniversary of the 

7 founding of the American Hellenic Educational Pro8 gressive Association (AHEPA), applauds its mission, 

9 and commends the many charitable contributions of 

10 its members to communities around the world, and 

11 (3) requests the President of the United States 

12 to issue a proclamation acknowledging the 85th An13 niversary of AHEPA and its many accomplishments. 

Passed the House of Representatives April 16, 2007. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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