Shelley Berkley: “I rise today not only as a friend of Greece, but also as a daughter of Greece. My mother's family immigrated from…”

“I rise today not only as a friend of Greece, but also as a daughter of Greece. My mother's family immigrated from Salonika, Greece, and I am very proud of my Greek-Jewish heritage. Greece has been a strong ally of the United States, standing by us in our struggles against Nazism, and now in the struggle against Islamic extremism. Greece paid an extraordinarily high price for their opposition to the Nazis, and we are forever grateful to them. Before World War II, half of the population of Salonika, Greece, around 80,000 people, were Jewish. After the Nazis finished with Greece, there were only 1,000 Jews left in Salonika. The reason 1,000 Jews survived is because their Greek neighbors protected them, saved them, hid them; and for that I am grateful as well. Greece continues to be a top contributor to NATO and a leader in the Balkan region. The resolution before the House today extends our best wishes and congratulations to the people of Greece, whom we look to as our forebearers in democracy. I am proud to cosponsor this resolution, but I hope it is our first word on our friendship with Greece, and certainly not our last. I urge this House and this administration to strengthen our relationship with Greece by including them in the Visa Waiver Program.”