AMERICAN HELLENIC EDUCATIONAL
PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2016

 
CONTACT: AHEPA Headquarters
PHONE: 202.232.6300
Sons Supreme President Christou, DOP Grand President Pilallis and Supreme President Galanis with Hellenic Caucus Co-chair Bilirakis. (Photo: Bill Petros)
 
Greek Americans Bring Foreign, Domestic Policy Issues to Legislators' Attention

For tenth consecutive year AHEPA hosts Capitol Hill Fly-in Day
 
WASHINGTON (May 27, 2016) - The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading membership-based association for the nation's millions American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes, and its affiliated women's organization, the Daughters of Penelope, brought their public policy agendas to the attention of Capitol Hill legislators and their staffs on May 25, 2016 during their annual Capitol Hill Day. The AHEPA Family's Capitol Hill Day has become an annual event since 2006.

"Our mission, strongly founded on our cultural heritage and our community service programs,
Grand President Pilallis and Supreme President Galanis with Hellenic Caucus Co-chair Maloney. (Photo: Bill Petros)
guides our public policy priorities," Supreme President John W. Galanis said.  "As such, we have a diverse set of legislative interests, both foreign and domestic, that reflect our mission.  We believe this makes the AHEPA family unique in its approach to Congress."

He added, "We had representation stretching from the Mountain West, to the Midwest, to the Southeastern U.S., and of course, from New England and the mid-Atlantic region. We sincerely thank all our volunteer members who unselfishly took the time out of their busy schedules to fulfill their commitment to civic responsibility.  The diverse geographic composition of our grassroots is our strength, and it is crucial that we bring it to Capitol Hill to convey a strong message in support for our policy priorities."

According to Galanis, AHEPA family members who participated at the organization's annual Capitol Hill Day discussed issues that included: strong U.S. - Greece relations as Greece endures two crises, religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, ending the division of Cyprus, efforts to support awarding World War II Veteran James "Maggie" Megellas with the Medal of Honor, and ensuring cost-effective, job creating, and lifesaving domestic programs are preserved and maintained in the federal budget. Domestic programs of interest to the AHEPA family include: affordable housing for the elderly, medical research at NIH, and domestic violence.  In addition, the participants' objective was to help to grow the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues as well as other congressional caucuses of interest.

Daughters from Alabama representing Penelope House with Rep. Byrne (R-AL).
Indiana Ahepans with Senator Donnelly (D-IN).

















"Our aim is to grow the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, helping it to return to the record-
Ahepans with 2015 AHEPA Pericles Award recipient Rep. Lewis (D-GA). Lewis said, "
I am eternally grateful for the honor that AHEPA bestowed upon me."


setting number we achieved in previous congresses," Galanis said. "We are encouraged by the responses we received by members of Congress, and their staffs.   We expect to see the Hellenic Caucus continue to grow."

The supreme president added he already received word that U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), whose father was an Ahepan, has joined the Hellenic Caucus as a result of the Capitol Hill Day.

The day's events included a morning reception where the AHEPA family received remarks from U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus and Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance; U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), co-founder and co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus.  Also addressing the AHEPA family participants were U.S. Reps. Niki Tsongas (D-MA) and Dina Titus (D-NV).

"We appreciate the strong show of support from the champions of Greek American issues," Galanis said, who was joined by Daughters of Penelope Grand President Connie Pilallis and Sons of Pericles Supreme President Andreas Christou.  "We look forward to working with them as the Congress winds down to achieve our goals and objectives."

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Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred felt at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe.  
 
AHEPA's mission is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism. 
 
For more information, please visit www.ahepa.org.

 
This is an electronic news service of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
For more information visit the AHEPA Online Headquarters at www.ahepa.org.
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