HR 9087

1	House Resolution
2	A resolution designating March 25, 2008, as "Greek
3	Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek
4	and American Democracy."
5
6	WHEREAS, the ancient Greeks developed the concept of
7	democracy, in which the supreme power to govern was vested in
8	the people, and
9	WHEREAS, the Founding Fathers of the United States drew
10	heavily on the political experience and philosophy of ancient
11	Greece in forming our representative democracy, and
12	WHEREAS, Greece played a major role in the struggle to
13	protect freedom and democracy during World War II by exhibiting
14	the kind of bravery that was demonstrated in the historic Battle
15	of Crete, which provided the Axis land war with its first major
16	setback and set off a chain of events that significantly
17	affected the outcome of World War II, and
18	WHEREAS, throughout the 20th century, Greece was one of
19	only three countries in the world, apart from the former British
20	Empire, that allied itself with the United States in every major
21	international conflict, and
22	WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, in recognizing Greek
23	Independence Day, said: "Greece and America have been firm
24	allies in the great struggles for liberty. Americans will always
25	remember Greek heroism and Greek sacrifice for the sake of
26	freedom . . . [and] as the 21st Century dawns, Greece and
27	America once again stand united; this time in the fight against
28	terrorism. The United States deeply appreciates the role Greece
29	is playing in the war against terror. . . . America and Greece
30	are strong allies, and we're strategic partners," and
31	WHEREAS, Greece, located in a region where Christianity
32	meets Islam and Judaism, maintains excellent relations with
33	Muslim nations and Israel, and
34	WHEREAS, the Government of Greece has had extraordinary
35	success in recent years in furthering cross-cultural
36	understanding and reducing tensions between Greece and Turkey,
37	and
38	WHEREAS, Greece and the United States are at the forefront
39	of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and
40	human rights, and
41	WHEREAS, a common belief in those ideals and many others
42	has forged a close bond between the nations of Greece and the
43	United States and their citizens, and
44	WHEREAS, March 25, 2008, marks the 187th anniversary of the
45	beginning of the revolution that freed the Greek people from the
46	Ottoman Empire, and
47	WHEREAS it is fitting and appropriate to celebrate this
48	anniversary with the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic
49	principles from which these two great nations were born, NOW,
50	THEREFORE,
51
52	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
53	Florida:
54
55	That the House of Representatives of the State of Florida
56	hereby designates March 25, 2008, as "Greek Independence Day: A
57	National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy" in
58	recognition of the numerous contributions the nation of Greece
59	has made to world democracy.
60	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of
61	the State of Florida, on behalf of the citizens of Florida,
62	extends its sincerest and best wishes to the people of Greece
63	and to all individuals of Greek descent as they celebrate Greek
64	Independence Day.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.