On Tuesday, August 1 (AEST), U.S. Democrat for New York in the House of Representatives, Grace Meng, who is a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, succeeded in including an amendment that augments support for Greece in the ‘National Defense Authorization Act’ (NDAA), the annual authorization bill for the Department of Defense [sic.] recently passed by the House of Representatives.

“I have been an adamant supporter of the U.S.-Greece relationship since my earliest days in Congress,” said Meng. “Queens has a robust and active Greek community that I am proud to represent in Congress.

“My amendment in support of the robust U.S.-Greece defense [sic] relationship, particularly with respect to the expansion of basing rights between our two nations, will only help to further fortify the bond between the U.S. and Greece.”

In Meng’s amendment, there is scope for additional U.S. bases in Greece, mainly on the Greek islands, and expanded U.S. military cooperation and presence in Greece.

Meng’s amendment calls on the U.S. Secretary of Defense [sic.] and the Secretary of State to jointly submit a report on the strength of the security relationship between the United States and Greece.

The report is to include an analysis of the potential for additional bases or expanded U.S. military presence in Greece, specifically on Greek islands. U.S. forces were now granted access to four additional military bases in Greece under the expanded defense cooperation agreement signed by the two countries in October of 2021. The Pentagon has stepped up military activities in Greece in response to Russian naval operations and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Meng thanked “the leadership of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus” for supporting her amendment and said she looks “forward to it becoming law.”

Nick Larigakis, the President of the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), said that the Institute valued the opportunity “to work closely with Congresswoman Grace Meng,” who he said was a strong supporter of U.S.-Greece relations.

Larigakis said that AHI applauds Meng’s work to add SEC. 1236 to the National Defense [sic] Authorization Act for 2024, “which mandates a report on the critically important security relationship between the United States and Greece.”

Democrat Chris Pappas from New Hampshire, adding his support, said that the relationship needs to deepen between the United States and “democratic allies in the East Mediterranean.”

The co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus, Congressman Gus Bilirakis, representing Florida’s 12th District, was pleased that the amendment is aimed at bolstering security cooperation with Greece and that it was included in the NDAA.

Bilirakis said that Greece had “consistently proven itself to be one of the United States’ most reliable allies.”

“This critical legislation strengthens our strategic partnership and enables continued security cooperation to facilitate enduring stability throughout the region,” the co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus said.

Republican from New York, Nicole Malliotakis, took a swipe at President Biden, who she said had appeased Erdogan, “who has undermined our counter-ISIS operations in Syria.”

She said that Erdogan had “repeatedly” threatened Greece with illegal flyovers and “rhetoric of invasion” and was the only NATO leader “who has not sanctioned Russia.”

“It’s critically important for Congress to assess the security relationship between the U.S. and Greece, which is one of our nation’s oldest allies,” Malliotakis said.

Democrat from Nevada, Dina Titus, said that the security relationship that the United States and Greece share was “too important to be overlooked in the NDAA process.”

Titus lauded the bipartisanship shown over the issue and said she joined her colleagues to ensure the “Administration keeps Congress up to speed on how the updated Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement and the potential for a modified U.S. military presence can support our nation’s continued bilateral cooperation.”

Endy Zemenides, Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, spoke of how Alexandroupolis is now a key asset for NATO and Western security since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” said.

“The NDAA Amendment authored by Representative Meng and supported by the Hellenic caucus is critical because it allows Congress and the public to see exactly how the MDCA has advanced our national security and our alliances, and where the room for growth is.”

For the NDAA amendment to come into effect the final draft needs to both houses, and in the febrile partisan environment that Washington D.C. has come to characterise, that may no be an easy task.