H. Con. Res. 71 Agreed to May 14, 2007

One Hundred Tenth Congress

of the

United States of America 

AT THE FIRST SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 

the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven 

Concurrent Resolution

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;

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 the 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 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;
H. Con. Res. 71—2

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

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

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

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress—

(1) recognizes the significant contributions of American 

citizens of Hellenic heritage to the United States; 

(2) commemorates the 85th Anniversary of the founding 

of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association 

(AHEPA), applauds its mission, and commends the many charitable contributions of its members to communities around the 

world; and 
H. Con. Res. 71—3

(3) requests the President of the United States to issue 

a proclamation acknowledging the 85th Anniversary of AHEPA 

and its many accomplishments. 

Attest:

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Attest:

Secretary of the Senate.