NO. 85

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of two bills that include amendments that hold Turkey accountable for its provocative and illegal actions and that enhance U.S. relations with Greece and the U.S.’ engagement in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“AHI applauds the champions and supporters of all these bipartisan measures and calls for their enactment,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said. “The United States must send a strong message to Turkey otherwise Turkey will continue with its aggressive and provocative acts, which are egregious and are not in American security interests, without fear of repercussion. On the other hand, AHI appreciates the message being sent to valued NATO ally Greece; one that the United States aims to build on its excellent state of relations with Greece to pursue persistent diplomatic engagement in the region.”

The U.S. House passed an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sponsored by U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) that would make Turkey’s purchase and acceptance of the Russian S-400 missile defense system an “explicitly sanctionable offense,” according to Congressman Kinzinger.  The amendment states the President shall impose five or more of sanctions described under the 2017 Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) no later than 30 days after the bill’s enactment. CAATSA imposes sanctions on countries that have a “significant transaction” with the Russian defense sector.

“We commend Representatives Kinzinger and Spanberger for their leadership and demonstrated will to hold Turkey accountable,” President Larigakis said. “Turkey should have been sanctioned immediately after the purchase and delivery of the Russian S-400 missile system, as mandated by U.S. law. Unfortunately, the administration has dragged its feet on imposing those sanctions.

Larigakis added that AHI calls on Congress to pass Rep. Kinzinger’s stand-alone legislation, H.R.4694, the “United States-Turkey Relations Review Act of 2019,” and AHI conveyed support for Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch’s effort to advance an amendment in the Senate’s version of the NDAA to sanction Turkey for its purchase of the S-400s.

Bilirakis Leads on Amendment to Enhance U.S. Relations with Greece, Region

 The U.S. House also passed an amendment to the FY2021 NDAA sponsored by U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) that builds upon the success of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act taking steps to increase the United States’ strategic and diplomatic ties with Greece, Cyprus, and Israel as well as Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. The Bilirakis/Pappas amendment also calls for a feasibility study to be conducted for increased rotational deployments of U.S. Armed Forces to Greece.

On the House floor, Congressman Bilirakis stated, “I rise in favor of my amendment…which builds upon the successes of the East Med Act, signed into law last year, by taking steps to increase the United States’ rotational deployments to Greece and diplomatic ties with the Greece-Cyprus-Israel trilateral agreement. In an increasingly unstable region, and with Turkey making a decisive turn away from the West, the United States needs to focus on strengthening our bonds with our reliable allies in the region. This amendment sends a strong message of deterrence to Turkey as it attempts to undermine the sovereignty of our friends in the Eastern Mediterranean. I urge its passage.”

“We sincerely thank and commend Congressman Bilirakis for his staunch commitment to strengthening relations with the United States and Greece, the United States and Cyprus, and encouraging U.S. diplomatic engagement in the Eastern Mediterranean,” President Larigakis said.

The U.S. House passed the FY21 NDAA (H.R.6395) on July 21, 2020.

Titus Champions Hagia Sophia with Bipartisan Support

 On the issue of the change of status of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, the U.S. House passed an amendment to an FY2021 spending package offered by U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) that encouraged the State Department "to denounce Turkey for taking formal action to change the status of Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site spiritually significant to people of many faiths and backgrounds, from a museum to a mosque; and to engage with Turkey for the purpose of returning its status to a museum so as to welcome people of all faiths and those who have marveled at its architectural and artistic splendor.” U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Chris Pappas (D-NH), David Cicilline (D-RI), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Brad Schneider (D-IL) cosponsored the amendment.

“AHI applauds Congresswoman Titus’ initiative and the amendment’s passage,” President Larigakis said. “AHI has supported and advocated for this amendment in Congress from nearly the beginning, discussing the amendment’s prospects with the Congresswoman a few days before its passage. We are grateful the Congresswoman’s staff who reached out to groups such as the AHI, and other Hellenic organizations, to discuss the amendment.”

The U.S. House passed the FY21 spending package (H.R. 7608) on July 24, 2020.

Reps. Maloney & Bilirakis Reintroduce Ecumenical Patriarchate Resolution

In an added response to President Erdogan’s conversion of the Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, Hellenic Caucus Co-Chairs U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Gus Bilirakis re-introduced a resolution July 16, 2020 that calls for Turkey to “cease any and all actions that violate the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”

“Representatives Bilirakis and Maloney have worked endlessly to protect the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for many years, and we appreciate their passion and dedication,” Larigakis said. “AHI calls for the U.S. House to pass their resolution in quick fashion.”