American Hellenic Institute

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McCotter Co-sponsors Bill to Return Property to U.S. Citizens
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Demetra Atsaloglou
October 17, 2011—No. 69 (202) 785-8430

McCotter Co-sponsors Bill to Return Property to U.S. Citizens

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) has co-sponsored a bill backed by the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) that sets forth two distinct and separate processes by which U.S. nationals can seek the fair rental value of their property in Turkish occupied Cyprus.   The five-term congressman indicated his support of the bill, H.R.2597, the American Owned Property in Occupied Cyprus Claims Act, at an event hosted by the American Hellenic Congress on September 27, 2011. He became the bill’s sixth co-sponsor on October 13, 2011.

“We thank Congressman McCotter for his co-sponsorship of this measure and for his support on a wide range of issues affecting the Greek American community,” said AHI President Nick Larigakis. “We contend this bill will provide processes for legal remedies that U.S. citizens can pursue who own property in occupied Cyprus. By adopting it, the U.S. House of Representatives will take a significant step toward correcting one of the many injustices committed by Turkey since its illegal invasion and subsequent occupation of Cyprus.”

Larigakis also commended the efforts of the Greek American constituents of the congressman’s who organized the event and cited it as an example of effective grassroots advocacy.

“Frankly, we need more grassroots initiatives like this one by the American Hellenic Congress to spark movement on our issues on Capitol Hill,” said Larigakis.

H.R.2597, introduced by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), has bipartisan support. In addition to Rep. McCotter, U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), the co-chairs of the Hellenic Caucus, are also co-sponsors of the bill along with U.S. Reps. Michael Grimm (R-NY), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), and John Sarbanes (D-MD).

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

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For additional information, please contact Demetra Atsaloglou at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org.