,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #fe  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of 
,,representatives  ,january #bb1        
#bjai,mr4 ,espaillat submitted the      
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,oversight and    
,reform  ,,resolution  ,supporting the  
goals and ideals of ,dominican ,heritage
 ,month4  ,whereas the ,house of        
,representatives is proud to recognize  
and commemorate ,dominican ,heritage    
,month1 an observance that celebrates   
the contributions of                    
,dominican-,americans2 ,whereas1 in     
keeping with its time-honored           
traditions1 we recognize and pay tribute
 to those who foster cultural pride and 
enhance the profile of diverse          
communities across the ,united ,states2 
,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 customs and enriching the quality
 of the ,nation's shared future2        
,whereas the ,dominican ,republic enjoys
 a well-built relationship with the     
,united ,states on trade and investment 
that has expanded since the ,dominican  
,republic-,central ,america-,united     
,states ,free ,trade ,agreement         
7,,cafta-,,dr7 entered into force on    
,march #a1 #bjjg2  ,whereas             
contributions from ,dominican-,americans
 can be found in every facet of ,united 
,states life1 including fashion designer
 ,oscar de la ,renta1 ,pulitzer ,prize  
winner ,junot ,diaz1 ,secretary of      
,labor ,thomas ,perez1 and baseball     
giant ,david ,ortiz1 known as ,big      
,papi2 ,whereas many of the 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 political military      
organization named ,la ,trinitaria 7,the
 ,trinity7 that led to the end of the   
,haitian occupation and transformed the 
,dominican ,republic into an            
independent1 self-sufficient nation2    
,whereas1 after the long and hard fought
 campaign for freedom from ,haiti1 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
 it would give the ,nation 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 the ,nation 
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 supports the    
goals and ideals of ,dominican ,heritage
 ,month2  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     
people of the ,united ,states to observe
 a national month of recognition for    
,dominican-,americans with appropriate  
ceremonies1 programs1 and activities4