119-hres281

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 281 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 281

 Urging the people of the United States to observe the month of March 
 2025 as ``Bulgarian-American Heritage Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 31, 2025

 Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Dunn of 
 Florida, and Mr. Neal) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Urging the people of the United States to observe the month of March 
 2025 as ``Bulgarian-American Heritage Month''.

Whereas, since the 19th century, Bulgarian immigrants and their descendants have 
 made significant contributions to America, enriching its cultural fabric 
 through their vibrant traditions and heritage, and greatly influencing 
 American society in the fields of science and research, business, 
 literature and the arts, engineering and technology, and academia while 
 enriching the economy and society;
Whereas the enduring Bulgarian-American people-to-people ties date back to 1860-
 1861, when 2 schools opened by American missionaries in Bulgaria later 
 merged into the American College, one of the oldest American educational 
 institutions outside the United States;
Whereas young people sent by American missionaries in Bulgaria for studies were 
 among the first Bulgarian immigrants in the United States;
Whereas Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, known as Christo, along with his partner 
 Jeanne-Claude, created monumental public art projects such as The Gates 
 in Central Park, New York City, which attracted millions of visitors and 
 demonstrated the impact of art in community spaces;
Whereas Ivan Kristoff, known as ``The Human Spider'', promoted safety and 
 innovation in high-altitude rescue missions, with significant work 
 conducted in Miami, Florida, and other metropolitan areas;
Whereas Nina Dobrev, a celebrated actress who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, has 
 elevated the visibility of Bulgarian heritage on a global stage through 
 her roles in prominent television series and films;
Whereas Sylvia Radev, a leading mathematician and computer scientist based in 
 Boston, Massachusetts, has advanced research in artificial intelligence 
 and natural language processing, impacting technological innovation 
 across the globe;
Whereas Dimitar Sasselov, an astrophysicist at Harvard University in Cambridge, 
 Massachusetts, has contributed to the understanding of exoplanets and 
 the potential for life beyond Earth;
Whereas the Philip Kutev National Folklore Ensemble and Bulgarian cultural 
 organizations have performed in major cultural hubs such as Chicago, 
 Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and the District of Columbia, 
 showcasing Bulgarian music and dance;
Whereas Bulgarian-Americans have established thriving business communities in 
 cities like Detroit, Michigan, and Las Vegas, Nevada, fostering economic 
 growth and entrepreneurship;
Whereas educators such as Dr. Maria Tzvetanova, based in Austin, Texas, have 
 advanced knowledge in neuroscience and other fields, inspiring students 
 and contributing to academic excellence;
Whereas the first United States Diplomatic Agent to Bulgaria presented his 
 credentials on September 19, 1903, marking the beginning of United 
 States-Bulgarian diplomatic relations;
Whereas, in May 1909, the United States welcomed Bulgaria into the commonwealth 
 of sovereign and independent states;
Whereas Bulgarian-American communities, with the support of Governors and mayors 
 in major United States cities, raise the Bulgarian national colors

    (flags) each year to commemorate the National Day of Bulgaria;
Whereas the United States and Bulgaria concluded their first agreement on a 
 most-favored-nation status in 1906;
Whereas the first Special Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to the 
 United States, Stefan Panaretov, presented his credentials to President 
 Woodrow Wilson on December 22, 1914;
Whereas United States-Bulgarian relations were strengthened by President 
 Wilson's advocacy of Bulgaria's territorial integrity and national 
 sovereignty at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, and by the 
 contributions of countless Bulgarian and American officials, diplomats, 
 and citizens;
Whereas a vibrant Bulgarian-American community today contributes to America's 
 prosperity, including its remarkable economic achievements, maintaining 
 its technological edge, and enriching American culture and society 
 through its diverse talents, rich traditions, art, literature, opera, 
 music, dance, cuisine, and language;
Whereas Bulgaria's presence in the world's largest library, the United States 
 Library of Congress, is marked by a collection of over 50,000 volumes of 
 Bulgarian cultural heritage, collected by the Library of Congress in 
 cooperation with Bulgarian individuals and institutions since the 1880s;
Whereas Bulgaria is the birthplace of the Bulgarian alphabet, also known as 
 Cyrillic, which was developed by the Preslav literary school in the 9th 
 century, becoming a valuable contribution to the world's cultural 
 heritage;
Whereas the Bulgarian language is the fourth language into which the Bible was 
 translated, and the Bulgarian alphabet is the third official alphabet in 
 the European Union, along with Latin and Greek;
Whereas the Bulgarian Caucus in the House of Representatives was formed in June 
 2002, and the following year a Friendship Group with the United States 
 was formed in the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria;
Whereas recognizing and celebrating Bulgarian-American Heritage Month provides 
 an opportunity for all Americans to gain a deeper appreciation of 
 Bulgarian culture and history; and
Whereas it is fitting and proper that March 2025 be observed as Bulgarian-
 American Heritage Month throughout the United States: Now, therefore, be 
 it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) urges the people of the United States to acknowledge 
 ``Bulgarian-American Heritage Month'' and to observe the month 
 with appropriate events and activities;

    (2) recognizes the enduring partnership between the United 
 States of America and the Republic of Bulgaria as friends, 
 strategic partners, and allies;

    (3) reaffirms the significance of intensifying cooperation 
 in innovations, research, and high technologies;

    (4) recognizes the significant contributions of Bulgarian-
 Americans to the United States;

    (5) recognizes that the Bulgarian-American culture and 
 heritage strengthens and enriches the diversity of the United 
 States; and

    (6) looks forward to continued collaboration between the 
 United States and Bulgaria in advancing shared interests in the 
 years ahead.
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