•HRES 273 EH 
bravery as was shown in the historic Battle of Crete, 
which provided the Axis land war with its first major set-
back, setting off a chain of events that significantly af-
fected the outcome of World War II; 
Whereas the price for Greece in holding onto our common 
values in their region was high, as hundreds of thousands 
of civilians were killed in Greece during World War II; 
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 devel-
opment to the volatile Balkan region, having invested 
over $20,000,000,000 in the countries of the region, 
thereby creating over 200,000 new jobs, and having con-
tributed over $750,000,000 in development aid for the re-
gion; 
Whereas Greece was extraordinarily responsive to requests by 
the United States during the war in Iraq, as Greece im-
mediately granted unlimited access to its airspace and 
the base in Souda Bay, and many ships of the United 
States that delivered troops, cargo, and supplies to Iraq 
were refueled in Greece; 
Whereas Greece is an active participant in peacekeeping and 
peace-building operations conducted by international or-
ganizations, including the United Nations, the North At-
lantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union 
(EU), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation 
in Europe (OSCE);
•HRES 273 EH 
Whereas in August 2004, the Olympic Games came home to 
Athens, Greece, the land of their ancient birthplace 2,500 
years ago and the city of their modern revival in 1896; 
Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its extraor-
dinary handling during the 2004 Olympics of over 14,000 
athletes and over 2,000,000 spectators and journalists, 
which it did efficiently, securely, and with its famous 
Greek 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 had extraordinary 
success in recent years in furthering cross-cultural under-
standing and has been consistently working for rap-
prochement with Turkey, as seen with the January 2008 
visit to Turkey by Greece’s Prime Minister Kostas 
Karamanlis, the first official visit by a Greek Prime Min-
ister in 49 years; 
Whereas Greece serves as a key transit country for the deliv-
ery of gas to Europe via the Turkey-Greece-Italy Inter-
connector; 
Whereas Greece and the United States are at the forefront 
of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and 
human rights; 
Whereas those and similar ideals have forged a close bond be-
tween Greece and the United States and their peoples; 
Whereas March 25, 2009, Greek Independence Day, marks 
the 188th anniversary of the beginning of the revolution 
that freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire 
and celebrates the aspirations for democracy that the 
peoples of Greece and the United States share; and
•HRES 273 EH 
Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States to 
celebrate this anniversary with the Greek people and to 
reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two 
great nations were born: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) extends warm congratulations and best wishes 
to the people of Greece as they celebrate the 188th anni-
versary of the independence of Greece; 
(2) expresses support for the principles of demo-
cratic governance to which the people of Greece are com-
mitted; and 
(3) notes the important role that Greece has played 
in the wider European region and in the community of 
nations since gaining its independence 188 years ago. 
Attest: 
Clerk.