,,iii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #cid  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #i1 #bjaf,mr4    
,m55dez 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,kirk1 ,mr4    
,durb91 ,mr4 ,s*um]1 ,mrs4 ,box]1 ,mrs4 
,%ahe51 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,wyd51 ,mr4  
,casey1 ,mr4 ,:iteh\se1 ,mr4 ,re$1 ,mr4 
,pet]s1 ,mr4 ,donnelly1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 &  
,mr4 ,br[n7 submitt$ ! foll[+           
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,=eign ,relations  ,,resolution     
,recogniz+ ! #aie? anniv]s>y ( !        
indep5d5ce ( ,greece & celebrat+        
democracy 9 ,greece & ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  
,:]eas ! p ( anci5t ,greece develop$ !  
concept ( democracy1 9 :i* ! supreme p[]
 to gov]n 0 ve/$ 9 ! p2 ,:]eas ! f\nd+  
fa!rs ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 _m ( :om read  
,greek political philosophy 9 ! orig9al 
,greek language1 drew heavily on !      
political exp]i5ce & philosophy ( anci5t
 ,greece 9 =m+ ! repres5tative democracy
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ,petros      
,mavromi*alis1 ! =m] ,comm&] 9 ,*ief (  
,greece & a f\nd] ( ! mod]n ,greek /ate1

 said to ! citiz5s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9  
#ahba1 ,x is 9 y\r l& t lib]ty has fix$ 
h] abode & 4 4 4 9 imitat+ y1 we %all   
imitate our ance/ors & be ?\ght wor?y ( 
!m if we succe$ 9 resembl+ y42 ,:]eas ! 
,greek national an!m1 ! ,hymn to        
,lib]ty1 includes ! words1 mo/ he>tily 0
 gladd5$ ,george ,wa%+ton's brave l&2   
,:]eas ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates g5]\sly    
(f]$ humanit>ian assi/ance to ! p (     
,greece dur+ _! /ruggle = indep5d5ce2   
,:]eas ,greece h]oically resi/$ ,axis   
=ces at a crucial mom5t 9 ,_w ,w> ,,ii1 
=c+ ,adolf ,hitl] to *ange 8 timel9e &  
delay+ ! attack on ,russia2 ,:]eas      
,w9/on ,*ur*ill said1 if !re _h n be5 ! 
virtue & c\rage ( ! ,greeks1 we d n "k  
:i* ! outcome ( ,_w ,w> ,,ii w\ld h be5 
& no long] w we say t ,greeks fight l   
h]oes1 b t h]oes fight l ,greeks2 ,:]eas
 hundr$s ( ?\s&s ( ! p ( ,greece 7 kill$
 dur+ ,_w ,w> ,,ii2 ,:]eas ,greece      
consi/5tly alli$ ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9    
major int]national conflicts ?r\gh\t !  
#bj? c5tury2 ,:]eas ,greece is a        

/rategic p>tn] & ally ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
9 br++ political /ability & economic    
developm5t to ! volatile ,balkan region1
 hav+ inve/$ billions ( doll>s 9 !      
c\ntries ( ! region & hav+ contribut$ m 
?an #gej1jjj1jjj 9 developm5t aid = !   
region2 ,:]eas ! ,gov]nm5t & p ( ,greece
 actively p>ticipate 9 peacekeep+ &     
peace-build+ op]ations conduct$ by      
int]national organizations1 includ+ !   
,unit$ ,nations1 ! ,nor? ,atlantic      
,treaty ,organization1 ! ,european      
,union1 & ! ,organization = ,security & 
,co-op]ation 9 ,europe2 ,:]eas ,greece  
receiv$ worldwide praise = its          
extraord9>y h&l+ dur+ ! #bjjd ,olympic  
,games ( m ?an #ad1jjj a?letes & m ?an  
#b1jjj1jjj spectators & j\rnali/s1 a    
feat ! gov]nm5t & p ( ,greece h&l$      
effici5tly1 securely1 & ) hospitality2  
,:]eas ,greece1 locat$ 9 a region :]e   
,*ri/ianity meets ,islam & ,judaism1    
ma9ta9s excell5t relations ) ,muslim    
c\ntries & ,israel2 ,:]eas ,european    
,c\ncil ,presid5t ,donald ,tusk /at$    

dur+ a press conf]5ce 9 ,a!ns on        
,febru>y #af1 #bjaf1 ,! migratory crisis
 we are curr5tly witness+ is te/+ our   
,union to its limits4 ,& ,greece is     
among ! mo/ affect$ c\ntries4 ,x is no  
co9cid5ce t ! ,greek citiz5s on ! isl&s 
h be5 nom9at$ to ! ,nobel ,peace ,prize 
= _! g5]osity 9 help+ p 9 ne$42 ,:]eas !
 ,gov]nm5t ( ,greece has tak5 important 
/eps 9 rec5t ye>s to fur!r              
cross-cultural und]/&+1 rappro*em5t1 &  
coop]ation 9 v>i\s fields ) ,turkey1 &  
has also improv$ its relations ) o!r    
c\ntries 9 ! region1 includ+ ,israel1   
?us enhanc+ ! /ability ( ! wid] region2 
,:]eas ! gov]nm5ts & p ( ,greece & !    
,unit$ ,/ates are at ! =efront ( ef=ts  
to advance fre$om1 democracy1 peace1    
/ability1 & human rights2 ,:]eas ^?     
ef=ts & simil> ideals h =g$ a close bond
 betwe5 ! p ( ,greece & ! ,unit$ ,/ates2
 & ,:]eas x is prop] & desirable = !    
,unit$ ,/ates to celebrate ,m>* #be1    
#bjaf1 ,greek ,indep5d5ce ,day1 ) ! p ( 
,greece & to reaffirm ! democratic      

pr9ciples f :i* ^? two great c\ntries 7 
f\nd$3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,s5ate--  
7#a7 ext5ds w>m congratulations & be/   
wi%es to ! p ( ,greece z !y celebrate ! 
#aie? anniv]s>y ( ! indep5d5ce (        
,greece2  7#b7 expresses support = !    
pr9ciples ( democratic gov]nance to :i* 
! p ( ,greece are committ$2 &  7#c7     
notes ! important role t ,greece has    
play$ 9 ! wid] ,european region & 9 !   
community ( nations s9ce ga9+ its       
indep5d5ce #aie ye>s ago4