IV 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 281 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 31, 2025 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 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 Bulgarian-Americans have established thriving business communities in cities like Detroit, Michigan, and Las Vegas, Nevada, fostering economic growth and entrepreneurship; 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

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.