IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 626 
Commending Turkish Americans nationwide for their rich contributions to 
the diversity of society, culture, economy, and civic life in the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 16, 2017 
Mr. BROWN of Maryland submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Commending Turkish Americans nationwide for their rich 
contributions to the diversity of society, culture, economy, 
and civic life in the United States. 
Whereas, on October 29, 1923, the Republic of Turkey was 
established; 
Whereas the visionary leader of modern Turkey, Mustafa 
Kemal Ataturk, became the Turkish Republic’s first 
President; 
Whereas, on July 24, 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne deter-
mined the borders of the Turkish Republic; 
Whereas more than 500,000 Americans of Turkish and 
Turkic heritage, who immigrated to the United States as 
scientists, engineers and physicians since 1950, and small 
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•HRES 626 IH 
business owners and skilled labor since 1980, reside in 
the United States; 
Whereas to represent themselves nationally, Turkish Ameri-
cans have formed civic institutions to promote their his-
tory and culture; 
Whereas to share the Turkish tradition of generosity and 
hospitality and to contribute richly to American cultural 
diversity, education, and integration, Turkish Americans 
have hosted American school teachers on visits to Tur-
key, annual festivals, and educational and cultural speak-
er events across the country; 
Whereas Turkish Americans are an important part of the 
fabric of the United States, as evidenced by their rich 
contributions to the arts, science, academics, law, busi-
ness and the civic life of this country, including the co- 
founder of Atlantic Records and the New York Cosmos 
soccer team, Ahmet Ertegun, whose ‘‘jazz diplomacy’’ 
and ‘‘sports diplomacy’’ helped Americans embrace diver-
sity; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Coca- 
Cola Company Muhtar Kent; Nobel Prize Winner Dr. 
Aziz Sancar; co-founders of Sierra Nevada Corporation 
and producer of the Dream Chaser Spacecraft, Eren and 
Fatih Ozmen; founder of Hittite Microwave Corporation 
Yalcin Ayasli; Associate Group Leader of the Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory Dr. 
Serpil Ayasli; television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz; 
President and Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Con-
struction and Keystone Realty Group and founder of the 
Indy 11 Indianapolis Soccer Team Ersal Ozdemir; music 
producer Arif Mardin; Federal Judge Halil Suleyman 
Ozerden; State Judges Jay Karahan and Ali Paksoy; 
founder and Chief Executive Officer of Natural Foods 
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•HRES 626 IH 
Source Murat Guzel; founder and Chief Executive Officer 
of Chobani Yogurt Hamdi Ulukaya; former National 
Football League player Tunch Ilkin and National Basket-
ball Association players Omer Asik, Mehmet Okur, Ersan 
Ilyasova, Hidayet Turkoglu, and Enes Kanter; and many 
others; and 
Whereas Turkish Americans serve as goodwill ambassadors 
promoting greater understanding between the United 
States and Turkey by informing the people in the United 
States about their rich Turkish cultural heritage and the 
importance of the strategic partnership to advance mu-
tual interests and shared values between the United 
States and Turkey: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives com-
mends Turkish Americans nationwide for their rich con-
tributions to the diversity of society, culture, economy, and 
civic life in the United States. 
Æ 
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