,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #he  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of 
,,representatives  ,february #bf1 #bjac 
,mr4 ,rangel 7for himself1 ,mr4         
,serrano1 ,mr4 ,pierluisi1 ,mr4 ,moran1 
,mr4 ,crowley1 and ,mr4 ,cicilline7     
submitted the following resolution2     
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,oversight and ,government ,reform      
,,resolution  ,recognizing the          
importance of acknowledging the         
contributions of ,dominican-,americans  
to the ,united ,states4  ,whereas since 
the initial wave of ,dominican migration
 in the #aifjs to the most recent       
arrivals of today1 ,dominicans have     
worked hard to contribute to the        
national identity of the ,united        
,states1 educating people on their      
culture and traditions and enriching the
 quality of our shared futures2 ,whereas
 ,dominican-,americans living on our    
shores have been motivated by the value 
of hard work and the bonds of family1   
the same pillars of our society that has

 built this great ,nation for over #bcj 
years2 ,whereas contributions from      
,dominican-,americans can be found in   
every facet of ,united ,states life1    
from the many baseball stars in our     
national pastime1 to fashion legend     
,oscar de la ,renta1 to the thousands of
 professionals that do battle as        
soldiers1 doctors1 lawyers1 journalists1
 educators1 and many other public       
servants2 ,whereas many of our          
hemisphere's first institutions were    
established on the shores of the        
,dominican ,republic1 including the     
first cathedral and the oldest          
university2 ,whereas ,dominicans are    
freedom loving people who first began   
their campaign for their independence in
 #ahca under the leadership of ,juan    
,pablo ,duarte1 who formed a secret     
society named ,the ,trinity that led to 
a decisive uprising1 which resulted in  
independence for the ,dominican         
,republic2 ,whereas after the long and  
hard fought campaign for freedom1 a     

ceremonial musket shot fired on         
,february #bg1 #ahdd1 marked the        
,dominican ,republic's first official   
,independence ,day2 ,whereas it is      
appropriate that the ,united ,states    
reserve the period between ,january #ba 
to ,february #bg to celebrate and honor 
,dominican heritage2 ,whereas it would  
be befitting to celebrate ,dominican    
heritage beginning on ,january #ba1 ,the
 ,day of the ,procession of ,altagracia1
 ,the ,dominican ,republic's most       
important religious celebration2        
,whereas it would also be befitting to  
end the period of ,dominican heritage on
 ,february #bg1 the ,dominican          
,republic's ,independence ,day2 ,whereas
 during the period between ,january #ba 
to ,february #bg of each year1 the      
,dominican people also celebrate        
,carnival1 the biggest1 most colorful   
event in the ,dominican ,republic where 
participants dress in colorful masks and
 costumes1 crack whips1 and dance in the
 street as a symbol of the end of       

slavery and ,spanish rule2 ,whereas it  
would give us the opportunity to        
acknowledge and applaud the economic1   
cultural1 and social contributions      
,dominican-,americans have made to the  
,united ,states2 and ,whereas it would  
also give us an opportunity to consider 
the many ,dominican achievements1 on the
 island and in the ,united ,states3     
,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that the ,house
 of ,representatives--  7#a7 recognizes 
the importance of acknowledging the     
contributions of ,dominican-,americans  
to the ,united ,states2  7#b7 supports  
the establishment of a national month of
 recognition for ,dominican-,americans  
to honor the ,dominican people and their
 contributions2 and  7#c7 urges the     
,president to issue a proclamation      
calling on the people of the ,united    
,states to observe a national month of  
recognition for ,dominican-,americans   
with appropriate ceremonies1 programs1  
and activities4