US Representative Grace Meng applauds inclusion of amendment supporting Greece in defense policy bill

US Representative Grace Meng, a Democrat representing New York City, and a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, has expressed her appreciation for the inclusion of her amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is the annual authorization bill for the Department of Defense, and it recently passed in the House of Representatives.

The amendment introduced by Meng focuses on supporting Greece and requires the secretary of defense and the secretary of state to jointly submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees. This report will analyze the security relationship between the United States and Greece.

Notably, the report will assess the potential for additional bases or an expanded US military presence specifically on Greek islands. This amendment comes in the context of the expanded defense cooperation agreement signed by the United States and Greece in October 2021, granting US forces access to four additional military bases in Greece. The increased military activities in Greece by the Pentagon are a response to Russian naval operations and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“I have been an adamant supporter of the US- Greece relationship since my earliest days in Congress,” Meng said. “Queens has a robust and active Greek community that I am proud to represent in Congress. My amendment in support of the robust US-Greece defense relationship, particularly with respect to the expansion of basing rights between our two nations, will only help to further fortify the bond between the US and Greece,” she said, expressing her gratitude to the Congressional Hellenic Caucus for supporting her amendment and voicing her optimism about its eventual passage into law.