Hosts Ted & Eleftheria Polychronis with Congressman Zack Space (D-OH18) with his wife Mary.

LOS ANGELES - 6/24/2009

On Saturday, June 20, 2009, Board Members of the American Hellenic Council Ted & Elefhteria Polychronis hosted a fundraising event for Greek-American Congressman of the eighteenth district of Ohio Zack Space.

Zack Space's grandparents came to Ohio from the island of Ikaria, so many attendees at the fundraiser were from the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America.

The Congressman sits on the Subcommittee on Health of the House and had a chance to address the issue of Healthcare reform at the meeting. He expressed his conviction that the Democratic leadership in Congress and the Obama Administration will pass a bill achieving a major overhaul to the healthcare system in the United States. He stressed that due to the skyrocketing costs of healthcare in the last few years and the continued rise in healthcare costs projected in the future, healthcare reform is a number one priority for the Obama Administration. Mr. Space also assured members of the Southern California Hellenic Community that he will do his best to prevent a repetition of the 1993 debacle of the Clinton effort to overhaul healthcare.

During the event, Congressman Space also expressed his gratitude for the Hellenic Community's support of his campaign and stated that our support allows him to be free of special interests. This puts him in a unique position of being able to seek the best for his district's residents and the American people and put his consiousness first when it comes to political decision-making.

Members of the American Hellenic Council with Congressman Space (D-OH18) and his wife Mary (second and third from left in bottom row)

Nicolas James, President of the Icarian Chapter Oinoe #14 with Congressman Zack Space (D-OH18)

Dinos Andrianos, Board member of the American Hellenic Council, presented Mr. Space with issues of our concern, all of which ask for the United States to support existing international treaties and promote democratic values to the rest of the world, a policy objective of the State department since the Woodrow Wilson Administration.

Mr. Space referred to his efforts in raising the issue of religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with members of the Administration close to President Obama. When asked by Aris Anagnos about Cyprus, the Congressman expressed his belief that the Obama Administration is committed to addressing the issue in a just & equitable manner. Yet, he suggested the Greek-American community should also exercise patience on this front becuase the Administration has other major issues to address first such as bringing about economic stability and dealing with Energy & Healthcare reform.

Mr. Space, who attended the meeting with his wife Mary, briefly addressed other issues such as the recent developments in Iran, and the role the United States can or should play, as well as North Korea.

Overall, when it came to domestic policy, the Congressman offered candid opinions that seemed to support the average American working family's intersests. His main goals consist of supporting health and energy reform, and creating jobs by retooling American manufacturing. In international relations, he expressed his support of the rule of law, justice & peace.

Copyright - AHC 2009
For more information contact: American Hellenic Council Director: Alexander Mizan 323-651-3507

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