[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 291 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 291
Urging the people of the United States to observe the month of March
2025 as ``Bulgarian-American Heritage Month''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2025
Mr. Schneider (for himself, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, 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 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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