[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 932 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 932
Recognizing the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the
United States of America and the Republic of Bulgaria.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 13, 2023
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
Recognizing the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the
United States of America and the Republic of Bulgaria.
Whereas, September 19, 2023, marks the 120th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the United States of America and the
Republic of Bulgaria;
Whereas the first United States Diplomatic Agent to Bulgaria, John B. Jackson,
presented his credentials on September 19, 1903;
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 the enduring ties between the two nations are exemplified by the
founding of the American College of Sofia, dating back to a school
opened by American missionaries in Bulgaria in 1860;
Whereas, on September 25, 2023, the United States and Bulgaria held the second
high-level Strategic Dialogue to advance their bilateral, regional, and
global agenda and to further enhance cooperation as friends, Allies, and
partners;
Whereas the United States and Bulgaria stand together as North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) Allies, determined to safeguard the freedom, common
heritage, and civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles
of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law, seeking to
promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area;
Whereas the United States and Bulgaria have signed numerous important documents
in key areas, including defense and security cooperation, 5G security,
civil nuclear cooperation, science and technology, and combating foreign
disinformation and propaganda;
Whereas the United States and Bulgaria stand united against aggression and
terror, condemning in the strongest possible terms Russia's brutal and
unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, and the heinous attacks on
the Israeli people by the terrorist organization Hamas;
Whereas Bulgaria remains committed to the collective defense, as exemplified by
hosting a NATO battlegroup with the United States participation, and by
establishing a NATO littoral countries mine countermeasures task force
to secure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea;
Whereas prior to becoming a NATO member and subsequently, as an ally, Bulgaria
participated in the United States-led and NATO missions and operations
in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Kosovo, and the Mediterranean;
Whereas Bulgaria was among the very first countries to denounce terrorism and
pledge active support to the United States in the fight against
terrorism following the attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas Bulgaria provided overflight and basing rights at the town of Bourgas
for Operation Enduring Freedom, representing the first stationing of
foreign forces in Bulgaria since World War II, and Bulgaria deployed a
nuclear, biological, and chemical protection detachment to Afghanistan
as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF);
Whereas the United States and Bulgaria recognize that Russia's full-scale
invasion of Ukraine has only underscored the geostrategic importance of
the Black Sea region, and the need to ensure that the region remains
free and secure from threats posed by Russia and other malign actors;
Whereas the bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) was signed in 2006,
regulating the status of forces, allowing for joint United States-
Bulgarian military facilities, providing for bilateral and multilateral
exercises, and facilitating the movement and temporary stationing of
aircraft and vessels;
Whereas Bulgaria continues to invest in defense capabilities, interoperability,
and the development of a credible defense posture in cooperation with
the United States, as exemplified by the purchase of sixteen F-16 Block
70 fighter jets from the United States, and intending to purchase United
States Stryker combat vehicles;
Whereas the United States and Bulgaria share the understanding that energy
security is a crucial component of national security, and Bulgaria has
made significant progress in reducing its dependency on Russian energy
resources and in diversifying its energy sector in collaboration with
the United States;
Whereas the two nations acknowledge the significance of intensifying their
cooperation in innovations, research, and emerging technologies;
Whereas people-to-people exchanges between the United States and Bulgaria are
vital for bolstering the bilateral relationship and Bulgaria has made
progress towards meeting criteria for visa-free travel of Bulgarian
citizens to the United States;
Whereas the shared commitment to counter disinformation and hybrid threats was
demonstrated by the signing of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding
on Countering Foreign Information Manipulation on September 25, 2023;
Whereas the year 2023 marks the 80th anniversary of the historic rescue of
50,000 Bulgarian Jews during the World War II;
Whereas it is acknowledged with regret and sadness that 11,343 Jews were
deported to Nazi concentration camps from Macedonia, Thrace, and Pirot,
territories administered Bulgaria at that time;
Whereas Bulgaria takes pride in its Jewish community and remains resolute in its
stance against any forms of discrimination, intolerance, and
antisemitism;
Whereas the vibrant Bulgarian-American community is contributing to America's
prosperity, including to its remarkable economic achievements, the
preservation of its technological edge, and the enrichment of American
culture and society, through its diverse talents, rich traditions, art,
music, dance, cuisine, and language;
Whereas Bulgaria's presence in the world's biggest library, the United States
Library of Congress is marked with a collection of over 50,000 volumes
of Bulgarian cultural heritage, brought together by the Library of
Congress in collaboration with Bulgarian individuals and institutions
since the 1880s;
Whereas the American University in Bulgaria, the pioneer of American-style
liberal arts education in Eastern Europe, has been delivering
exceptional education for more than three decades;
Whereas there are 41 Bulgarian Sunday schools in the United States, which are
contributing to the preservation of Bulgarian language and traditions
and to the cultural diversity in the United States;
Whereas Bulgaria is the place of origin of the Cyrillic alphabet, which is
currently taught in the Bulgarian Sunday schools across the United
States;
Whereas the Bulgarian Caucus in the House of Representatives was formed in June
2002 and the following year a group for friendship with the United
States was formed in the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
demonstrating a dedication to the bilateral relationship; and
Whereas America's most successful and enduring relationships are built on shared
values: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the 120th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between the United States of America and the Republic
of Bulgaria;
(2) recognizes the enduring partnership between the United
States of America and the Republic of Bulgaria as friends,
strategic partners, and Allies;
(3) expresses its conviction that the relationship remains
rooted in our shared commitment to democratic principles and
values, including the rule of law and respect for human rights;
(4) acknowledges Bulgaria's strategic role in the Black Sea
region and expresses a shared commitment to uphold the security
and stability within the region;
(5) notes the significant security challenges currently
facing our two countries and supports our joint efforts to
further enhance the security and defense cooperation;
(6) commends the Government and the people of Bulgaria for
their contribution to the international efforts to preserve the
rules-based international order;
(7) salutes the willing cooperation of Bulgaria and its
increasingly vital role as a valuable Ally in the war against
international terrorism;
(8) acknowledges the commitment to deepen our cooperation
on countering foreign malign influence and disinformation by
enhancing societal resilience and media and information
literacy;
(9) reaffirms the significance of intensifying cooperation
in innovations, research, and emerging technologies;
(10) recognizes that the Bulgarian-American culture and
heritage strengthen and enrich the diversity of the United
States; and
(11) looks forward to continued collaboration between the
United States and Bulgaria in advancing shared values and
interests in the years ahead.
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