Recognizing the 204th anniversary of the War of Greek Independence.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 249 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 249

  Recognizing the 204th anniversary of the War of Greek Independence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 25, 2025

Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Malliotakis, Ms. Titus, Mr. 
Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Amo, Mr. Magaziner, and Ms. Meng) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the 204th anniversary of the War of Greek Independence.

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 when forming the political system of the United 
        States;
Whereas the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence inspired the 
        uprising of the Greek people against the Ottoman Empire and were 
        reflected in the revolutionary Greek Constitutions;
Whereas the War of Greek Independence initiated the struggle for self-
        determination of all the occupied nations of the Ottoman Empire;
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 the United States and Greece have been allies in all international 
        conflicts throughout modern history;
Whereas the Greek-American community has positively contributed to American 
        society and has helped forge the ties between the United States and 
        Greece;
Whereas the United States has greatly contributed to the reconstruction of 
        Greece after World War II;
Whereas North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership has further 
        tightened the cooperation between the United States and Greece;
Whereas Greece has consistently shown strong commitment to meeting NATO defense 
        spending obligations and contributes more than 3 percent of its GDP in 
        defense, while strongly supporting a more robust European defense;
Whereas Greece is an integral part of the European Union;
Whereas Greece occupies a non-permanent member seat at the United Nations 
        Security Council for the 2025-2026 term;
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 one of the major investors in southeastern 
        Europe, including in critical infrastructure;
Whereas the address of the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to a 
        joint session of Congress in May 2022 consolidated the strong ties 
        between the two countries, based on shared values, as well as the 
        importance of the Greek-American community for the United States;
Whereas Greece enjoys strong bipartisan support in the United States Congress;
Whereas Greece participates in and actively promotes several schemes of 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, and 
        through joint engagement with Greece, Israel, and Cyprus in the ``3+1'' 
        format;
Whereas this support was reiterated in the United States-Greece Defense and 
        Interparliamentary Partnership Act, included in the National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, establishing a 3+1 
        Interparliamentary Group to discuss the expansion of cooperation in 
        other areas of common concern;
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, namely in the 
        Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans and as a valuable NATO ally;
Whereas the port of Alexandroupolis in northeast Greece has evolved into a key 
        energy hub and strategic point, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with 
        the Balkans and Eastern Europe;
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 the 204th 
        anniversary of the March 25, 1821, 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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) extends warm congratulations and best wishes to the 
        people of Greece as they celebrate the 204th anniversary of the 
        War of Greek Independence;
            (2) expresses support for the principles of democracy, 
        human rights, and the rule of law to which the people of the 
        United States and Greece are committed;
            (3) notes the important role that Greece has played in the 
        wider European region and in the community of nations since 
        gaining its independence;
            (4) commends the Greek-American community for its 
        contributions to the United States and its role as a bridge 
        between the two countries;
            (5) commends the geostrategic importance of Greece at the 
        junction of three continents and in particular the critical 
        role Greece plays in promoting stability in the Eastern 
        Mediterranean and Western Balkans and in continuously upholding 
        international law and respect for national sovereignty and 
        territorial integrity; and
            (6) appreciates the deepening cooperation between the 
        United States and Greece, based on shared values and interests, 
        including the important bilateral energy and security 
        partnership and the important role that Greece plays in 
        bolstering European energy security.
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