WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 4 - Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), one of only 13 (of the 435) Members of Congress who serves on the key Europe Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee, was honored by his Greek-American constituents in Michigan's 11th district for his efforts in the U.S. Congress for Cyprus and other Hellenic and Orthodox issues. This reception took place on February 27 at the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Plymouth Township, Michigan.
"We value working closely with this Philhellene whose efforts for our issues are invaluable," said the leaders of CEH, including Andrew A. Athens, Philip Christopher, Peter Papanicolaou, Andrew Manatos, Nikos Mouyiaris and Charles Marangoudakis.
Congressman McCotter's most notable recent effort for Hellenic issues was his vote in the Europe Subcommittee (on October 5, 2004) that enabled the defeat of a very damaging piece of legislation for Cyprus (H Con. Res. 412) that pro-Turkish Members were trying to rush through in the final days of the U.S. Congress in 2004. Without Congressman McCotter's vote against this resolution, it would have passed the Europe Subcommittee and sent a very negative message regarding U.S. support for the international legitimization of the occupied area of Cyprus and greatly injured US, EU and UN efforts to end the division and occupation of Cyprus.
Some of Congressman McCotter's constituents who played a leading role in this event included: Eleni, Costas, Irene and Faye Kassapis -- the mother, father and sisters of Andrew Kassapis, the then-17-year-old resident of Livonia, MI who was captured alive during the July 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus (sadly, 24 years later, a Congressionally-mandated State Department investigation into the whereabouts of U.S. citizens captured during the Cyprus invasion resulted in the discovery in Cyprus and proper burial in Lavonia of Andrew’s remains); Demetri Katsamberis, President of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Parish Council; as well as long-time national leaders for Hellenic issues, Professor Demetrios Politis and Dr. Ted Pantos.
The plaque presented to the Congressman read, "With sincere gratitude for his efforts in the United States Congress to promote and defend freedom, justice, human rights and democracy -- issues of great importance to Hellenes and Orthodox Christians everywhere."