,,iii ,calendar ,no4 #fj #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ie ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #e1 #bjai,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,barrasso1 ,mr4 ,schumer1 ,mr4 ,gardner1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,enzi1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,braun1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,johnson1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,carper1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mr4 ,booker1 and ,mr4 ,blumenthal7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,april #d1 #bjai,reported by ,mr4 ,risch1 without amendment ,,resolution ,recognizing the #aihth anniversary of the independence of ,greece and celebrating democracy in ,greece and the ,united ,states4 ,whereas the people of ancient ,greece developed the concept of democracy1 in which the supreme power to govern was vested in the people2 ,whereas the founding fathers of the ,united ,states1 many of whom read ,greek political philosophy in the original ,greek language1 drew heavily on the political experience and philosophy of ancient ,greece in forming the representative democracy of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,petros ,mavromichalis1 the former ,commander in ,chief of ,greece and a founder of the modern ,greek state1 said to the citizens of the ,united ,states in #ahba1 ,it is in your land that liberty has fixed her abode and ''' in imitating you1 we shall imitate our ancestors and be thought worthy of them if we succeed in resembling you42 ,whereas the ,greek national anthem1 the ,hymn to ,liberty1 includes the words1 most heartily was gladdened ,george ,washington's brave land2 ,whereas the people of the ,united ,states generously offered humanitarian assistance to the people of ,greece during their struggle for independence2 ,whereas ,greece heroically resisted ,axis forces at a crucial moment in ,world ,war ,,ii1 forcing ,adolf ,hitler to change his timeline and delaying the attack on ,russia2 ,whereas ,winston ,churchill said that if there had not been the virtue and courage of the ,greeks1 we do not know which the outcome of ,world ,war ,,ii would have been and no longer will we say that ,greeks fight like heroes1 but that heroes fight like ,greeks2 ,whereas hundreds of thousands of the people of ,greece were killed during ,world ,war ,,ii2 ,whereas ,greece consistently allied with the ,united ,states in major international conflicts throughout its history as a modern state2 ,whereas ,greece is a strategic partner and ally of the ,united ,states in bringing political stability and economic development to the ,balkan region1 having invested billions of dollars in the countries of the region and having contributed more than #gej1jjj1jjj in development aid for the region2 ,whereas the ,government and people of ,greece actively participate in peacekeeping and peace-building operations conducted by international organizations1 including the ,united ,nations1 the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization1 the ,european ,union1 and the ,organization for ,security and ,co-operation in ,europe2 ,whereas ,secretary of ,state ,michael ,pompeo hosted ,acting ,greek ,foreign ,minister ,george ,katrougalos in a ,united ,states-,greece ,strategic ,dialogue on ,december #ac1 #bjah1 that underscored ,greece's importance to the ,united ,states as a pillar of stability in the ,eastern ,mediterranean and ,balkans and as an important ,,nato ally2 ,whereas the eastern ,mediterranean trilateral partnership of ,greece1 ,israel1 and ,cyprus is increasingly important to ,united ,states interests1 and each country's strong relationship with the ,united ,states1 as well as the prospect of an ,eastern ,mediterranean pipeline enabling safe transmission of gas to ,western ,europe1 is critical to security and energy stability2 ,whereas the ,united ,states was the honored country at ,greece's premier ,thessaloniki ,international ,fair on ,september #h-af1 #bjah2 ,whereas ,greece received worldwide praise for its extraordinary handling during the #bjjd ,olympic ,games of more than #ad1jjj athletes and more than #b1jjj1jjj spectators and journalists1 a feat the ,government and people of ,greece handled efficiently1 securely1 and with hospitality2 ,whereas ,greece1 located in a region where ,christianity meets ,islam and ,judaism1 maintains excellent relations with ,muslim countries and ,israel2 ,whereas ,greece remains an integral part of the ,european ,union2 ,whereas the ,government of ,greece has taken important steps in recent years to further cross-cultural understanding1 rapprochement1 and cooperation in various fields with ,turkey1 and has also improved its relations with other countries in the region1 including ,israel1 thus enhancing the stability of the wider region2 ,whereas the ,governments and people of ,greece and the ,united ,states are at the forefront of efforts to advance freedom1 democracy1 peace1 stability1 and human rights2 ,whereas those efforts and similar ideals have forged a close bond between the people of ,greece and the ,united ,states2 and ,whereas it is proper and desirable for the ,united ,states to celebrate ,march #be1 #bjai1 ,greek ,independence ,day1 with the people of ,greece and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which those two great countries were founded3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 extends warm congratulations and best wishes to the people of ,greece as they celebrate the #aihth anniversary of the independence of ,greece2 7#b7 expresses support for the principles of democratic governance to which the people of ,greece are committed2 and 7#c7 notes the important role that ,greece has played in the wider ,european region and in the community of nations since gaining its independence #aih years ago4 ,april #d1 #bjai,reported without amendment