H.Res. 291

[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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