,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #efi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #bj1 #bjai  
,mr4 ,wilson ( ,s\? ,c>ol9a 7= himself1 
,mr4 ,s*neid]1 ,mr4 ,rice ( ,s\?        
,c>ol9a1 ,mr4 ,kelly ( ,p5nsylvania1    
,mrs4 ,walorski1 ,mr4 ,?ompson (        
,p5nsylvania1 ,mr4 ,turn]1 ,mr4 ,posey1 
,mr4 ,web/] ( ,florida1 ,mr4 ,bi%op (   
,utah1 ,mr4 ,murphy ( ,nor? ,c>ol9a1    
,mr4 ,bi%op ( ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 ,mr4       
,timmons1 ,mr4 ,connolly1 ,mr4 ,mc,caul1
 ,mr4 ,deut*1 & ,mr4 ,g>am5di7 submitt$ 
! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !  
,committee on ,=eign ,affairs           
,,resolution  ,recogniz+ ! #aaa?        
anniv]s>y ( ! indep5d5ce ( ,bulg>ia4    
,:]eas on ,septemb] #bb1 #aijh1 ,bulg>ia
 proclaim$ its indep5d5ce to become a   
full-fl$g$ sov]eign /ate "u ! "n ( !    
,k+dom ( ,bulg>ia2 ,:]eas ?is ,act m>k$ 
! end ( a long & d$icat$ /ruggle !      
,bulg>ian p wag$ aga9/ _! ages-long     
=eign occupi]1 ! ,ottoman ,empire1 :i*  
conqu]$ ! m$ieval ,bulg>ian /ate 9 !    

#ad? ,c5tury2 ,:]eas al?\gh lib]at$ 9   
#ahgh1 ,bulg>ia rema9$ divid$ & dep5d5t 
on its =m] rul]2 ,:]eas ) ! proclamation
 ( indep5d5ce ov] #ajj ye>s ago1        
,bulg>ia took its rightful place among !
 family ( nations & secur$ = its citiz5s
 9 its ,con/itution ( #aiia ! "r to     
life1 fre$om1 & prop]ty2 ,:]eas !       
,republic ( ,bulg>ia is a democratic    
nation1 a /rong def5d] ( fre$om & human 
rights1 & a /aun* ally ( ! ,unit$       
,/ates2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates e/abli%$ 
diplomatic relations ) ! ,republic (    
,bulg>ia on ,septemb] #ai1 #aijc2 ,:]eas
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ackn[l$ges ! c\rage ( !
 ,bulg>ian p 9 decid+ to pursue a free1 
democratic1 & indep5d5t ,bulg>ia & _!   
/eadfa/ p]sev]ance 9 build+ a society   
bas$ on ! rule ( law1 respect = human   
rights1 & a free m>ket economy2 ,:]eas !
 p ( ! ,republic ( ,bulg>ia /rive to    
pres]ve & cont9ue _! tradition ( e?nic &
 religi\s tol]ance2 ,:]eas ! ,bulg>ian  
,p>liam5t1 ! ,bulg>ian ,or?odox ,*ur*1  
,k+ ,boris ,,iii1 politicians1          

intellectuals1 & citiz5s all play$ a "p 
9 ! resi/ance to ,nazi pressure to c>ry 
out ! deportation ( ,jews liv+ 9        
,bulg>ia2 ,:]eas 9 ! spr+ ( #aidc !     
,bulg>ian p successfully prev5t$ !      
deportation ( #ej1jjj ,jews to          
conc5tration camps2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia     
exp]i5c$ its fir/ free election aft] !  
end ( ! ,cold ,w> 9 ,june #aiij2 ,:]eas 
,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization   
7,,nato7 heads ( /ate & memb] gov]nm5ts1
 meet+ 9 ,prague on ,novemb] #ba1 #bjjb1
 invit$ ,bulg>ia into ,,nato aft] v]ifi$
 re=ms ( ,bulg>ia's political1 economic1
 & milit>y sy/ems 7 complet$ 9          
prep>ation = memb]%ip2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia 0
 accept$ z a memb] ( ,,nato 9 ,april    
#bjjd1 & has %[n det]m9ation 9 enact+ ! 
cont9u$ re=ms necess>y to be a          
productive1 contribut+ memb] ( !        
,alliance2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia has made     
vital contributions to ! security ( !   
,,nato alliance1 includ+ ?r\gh its      
important role 9 ! security ( ! ,black  
,sea2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia 0 welcom$ into !  

,european ,union 9 ,janu>y #bjjg2 ,:]eas
 ! ,_w ,bank classifi$ ,bulg>ia z "o ( !
 top #aj nations to h und]tak5 important
 economic re=ms to attract bus9ess      
inve/m5t2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia is ! only     
,european ,union nation to be li/$ 9 !  
top #aj ( ! ,_w ,bank's classification z
 ( #bjah2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia has promot$   
/ability 9 ! ,balkans by r5d]+ support  
to ,op]ation ,alli$ ,=ce & ,op]ation    
,jo9t ,gu>dian l$ by ,,nato1 & by       
provid+ peacekeep+ troops to !          
,/abilization ,=ce 9 ,bosnia &          
,h]zegov9a 7,,s=7 & to ! ,kosovo ,=ce   
7,,k=7 9 ,kosovo2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia ho/s  
"o ( eight ,,nato ,=ce ,integration     
,units to bett] enable collective       
security on ! ,european cont95t2 ,:]eas 
,bulg>ia is increas+ its def5se         
exp5ditures & exp5ditures on equipm5t 9 
keep+ ) ! #bjad ,wales ,pl$ge1 includ+  
by pur*as+ ,f-#afs to r$uce reliance on 
,russian & old ,soviet equipm5t & bett] 
integrate ) ,,nato =ces2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia
 initiat$ a hi/oric /r5g!n+ ( milit>y   

relations by invit+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates     
,arm$ ,=ces to beg9 conduct+ jo9t       
ex]cises ) its =ces 9 ,bulg>ia1 ! fir/  
volunt>y def5se coop]ation agreem5t )   
=eign troops ?r\gh\t ,bulg>ian hi/ory1  
includ+ ! #a1cjj ye>s be=e its          
decl>ation ( indep5d5ce2 & ,:]eas       
,bulg>ia /ood firmly by ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
9 ! cause ( advanc+ fre$om worldwide    
dur+ its t5ure z a nonp]man5t memb] ( ! 
,unit$ ,nations ,security ,c\ncil3 ,n[1 
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (               
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 values ! close   
relation%ip betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !  
,republic ( ,bulg>ia1 z well z !        
fri5d%ip betwe5 ! ,am]ican & ,bulg>ian  
peoples2  7#b7 comm5ds ! ,republic (    
,bulg>ia = its ef=ts to /r5g!n relations
 ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates ov] ! pa/ #aaa ye>s2 
7#c7 recognizes ! cont9u$ contributions 
( ,bulg>ia t[>d br++ peace1 /ability1 & 
prosp]ity to ! region ( ,s\!a/]n ,europe
 & ! ,black ,sea1 includ+ its           
contributions to regional security &    
democratic /ability2  7#d7 salutes !    

important contributions ( ,bulg>ia z a  
valuable ally 9 c\nt]+ ,russian         
aggression & economic co]cion1 support+ 
,,nato's mission 9 ,afghani/an1 &       
combatt+ int]national t]rorism2 &  7#e7 
enc\rages opportunities = great]        
coop]ation betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates &     
,bulg>ia 9 ! political1 milit>y1        
economic1 & cultural sph]es4