Jane Harman: “today, as Greece celebrates its 181st anniversary of its struggle for independence, I join my colleagues in…”

“today, as Greece celebrates its 181st anniversary of its struggle for independence, I join my colleagues in congratulating the people of Greece and Greek-Americans, many of whom I am proud to call constituents. When we celebrate Greek Independence Day, we celebrate the fight for freedom. Ancient Greece was the world's first democracy. With modern Greece, it stands as an example to people around the world of overcoming tyranny. Since its war of independence, Greece has been a strong ally to the United States. In turn, the U.S. has opened its heart to multitudes of Greek immigrants. The contributions of the Greek community in the United States are immeasurable. The strong relationship between Greece and the United States is steeped in culture, history, and philosophy and remains of critical importance. Since September 11, Greece shared in our loss--21 of its citizens died at the World Trade Center--and has stepped up its efforts to combat terrorism at home and abroad. Equally important is Greece's membership in NATO, and its role in ensuring the security of Europe's southern flank. I remain committed to strengthening U.S.-Greek ties, and to working on issues of interest to the Greek American community, including a permanent solution in Cyprus. I thank my colleagues, Mr. Bilirakis, for organizing this special order to highlight the important contributions of Greece to our country.”