IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 754 

Supporting the goals and ideals of Dominican Heritage Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2018 

Mr. ESPAILLAT submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of Dominican Heritage 

Month. 

Whereas the House of Representatives is proud to recognize 

and commemorate Dominican Heritage Month, an observance that celebrates the contributions of DominicanAmericans; 

Whereas, in keeping with its time-honored traditions, we recognize and pay tribute to those who foster cultural pride 

and enhance the profile of diverse communities across the 

United States; 

Whereas since the initial wave of Dominican migration in the 

1960s to the most recent arrivals of today, Dominicans 

have worked hard to contribute to the national identity 

of the United States, educating people on their customs 

and enriching the quality of the Nation’s shared future; 


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•HRES 754 IH 

Whereas the Dominican Republic enjoys a well-built relationship with the United States on trade and investment as 

the United States was the first country to do international trade with the Dominican Republic; 

Whereas contributions from Dominican-Americans are found 

in every facet of our society here in the United States, 

including fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, Pulitzer 

Prize winner author Junot Diaz, Secretary of Labor 

Thomas Perez, record-setting baseball giant David Ortiz, 

known as ‘‘Big Papi’’, newly elected Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, celebrated novelist 

Julia Alvarez, leading actress, director, producer, and 

writer Zoe ̈ Saldana, Saturday Night Live Director and 

Editor Osmany ‘‘Oz’’ Rodriguez; New York Police Department Officer and President of the New York Dominican Officers Association President Raysa Galvez, platform transcendent media icon Joel ‘‘The Kid Mero’’ Martinez, and 2018 Miss New York City Genesis Camila 

Suero; 

Whereas many of the hemisphere’s first institutions were established on the shores of the Dominican Republic, including the first cathedral and the oldest university; 

Whereas Dominicans are freedom-loving people who first 

began their campaign for independence in 1831, under 

the leadership of Juan Pablo Duarte, who formed a secret political military organization named La Trinitaria 

(The Trinity) that led to the end of the Haitian occupation and transformed the Dominican Republic into an 

independent, self-sufficient nation, marking February 27, 

1844, as the Dominican Republic’s first official Independence Day; 


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Whereas, in 2012, the United States provided $66.9 million 

in foreign assistance aimed at improving security, increasing transparency, building resilience to the effects of 

climate change, and improving access to quality prevention, care and treatment services for HIV/AIDS in the 

Dominican Republic, the two regions enjoy a sense of 

unity; 

Whereas it is appropriate that the United States reserve the 

period between January 21 to February 27 to celebrate 

and honor Dominican heritage; 

Whereas it would be befitting to celebrate Dominican heritage 

beginning on January 21, The Day of the Procession of 

Altagracia, the Dominican Republic’s most important religious celebration; 

Whereas it would also be befitting to end the period of Dominican heritage on February 27, the Dominican Republic’s Independence Day; 

Whereas it would give the Nation the opportunity to acknowledge and applaud the economic, cultural, and social contributions Dominican-Americans have made to the United 

States; and 

Whereas it would also give the Nation an opportunity to consider the many Dominican achievements, on the island 

and in the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of Dominican 

3 Heritage Month; 

4 (2) supports the establishment of a national 

5 month of recognition for Dominican-Americans to 


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•HRES 754 IH 

1 honor the Dominican people and their contributions; 

2 and 

3 (3) urges the people of the United States to ob4 serve a national month of recognition for Domini5 can-Americans with appropriate ceremonies, pro6 grams, and activities. 

Æ 


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