Frank Pallone: “On March 25th, Greece celebrates its 181st year of independence. I am here tonight to praise a society that represents…”

“On March 25th, Greece celebrates its 181st year of independence. I am here tonight to praise a society that represents, in a historical sense, the origins of what we call Western culture, and, in a contemporary sense, one of the staunchest defenders of Western society and values. There are many of us in Congress, on both sides of the spectrum, who are staunchly committed to preserving and strengthening the ties between Greek and American people. I would particularly like to thank the co-chairs of the Hellenic Caucus, Congressman Bilirakis from Florida, and Congresswoman Maloney from New York for their fine leadership and their tireless efforts to strengthen the ties between our two countries. Just two years after the Greek people began the revolution that would lead to their freedom, one of our predecessors in this Chamber, Massachusetts Congressman Daniel Webster, referring to the 400 years during which the Greeks were ruled by the Ottoman Empire, observed, 'These Greek people, a people of intelligence, ingenuity, refinement, spirit, and enterprise, have been for centuries under the atrocious and unparalleled Tartarian barbarism that ever opposed the human race.' The words Congressman Webster chose then to describe the Greek people--intelligence, ingenuity, refinement, spirit, and enterprise--are as apt today as they have ever been.”