Carolyn Maloney: “Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 1107 and as co-chair and cofounder of the Congressional Caucus on…”

“Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 1107 and as co-chair and cofounder of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I rise today to celebrate the entrance of Greece into the Visa Waiver Program and to celebrate the 189th anniversary of Greece's declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire. Against incredibly difficult odds, the Greeks defeated one of the most powerful empires in history to win their independence. Following 400 years of Ottoman rule, in March 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the traditional Greek flag at the monastery of Agia Lavra, inciting his countrymen to rise against the Ottoman army. The bishop timed this act of revolution to coincide with the Greek Orthodox holiday celebrating the archangel Gabriel's announcement that the Virgin Mary was pregnant with the divine child. Bishop Germanos' message was clear: A new spirit was about to be born in Greece. The following year, the Treaty of Constantinople established full independence for Greece.”