,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #gcc  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,november #bb1      
#bjai,mr4 ,espaillat submitted the      
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs 
,,resolution  ,reaffirming the          
importance of the ,united ,states       
relationship with the ,dominican        
,republic4  ,whereas the ,dominican     
,republic is a crucial partner to the   
,united ,states in hemispheric affairs1 
which includes bilateral trade1         
diplomacy1 tourism1 and security        
cooperation1 and it is vital to not only
 maintain but also continue to foster   
this strong and special relationship2   
,whereas the strength of the            
relationship between the ,united ,states
 and the ,dominican ,republic is rooted 
in political1 economic1 and cultural    
ties which have continuously solidified 
since the ,dominican ,republic first    
gained independence in #ahdd2 ,whereas1 
as the first major wave of ,dominican   

migrants to the ,united ,states began in
 the #aifjs and has continued throughout
 the decades since1 there are over #b   
million people of ,dominican descent who
 now live in the ,united ,states1       
currently making the                    
,dominican-,american community the      
fifth-largest ,hispanic group in the    
,united ,states2 ,whereas support       
between the nations is reciprocal1 and  
the ,united ,states is committed to its 
continued support1 both in words and    
actions1 to the ,dominican ,republic's  
democratic and economic development2    
,whereas the ,united ,states greatly    
benefits from all the valuable          
contributions made by the ,dominican    
community and ,dominican culture1       
literature1 music1 and dance1 and in    
sports2 ,whereas the sport of baseball1 
commonly known as ,america's favorite   
pastime1 is a major source of pride and 
cultural identity for the ,dominican    
,republic1 and as one of the most       
significant contributors to ,major      

,league ,baseball1 ,dominicans not only 
currently represent #aa4f percent of all
 ,,mlb starters1 but also represent some
 of the greatest players of all time1   
including ,hall-of-,famers ,juan        
,marichal1 ,pedro ,martinez1 and        
,vladimir ,guerrero2 ,whereas the       
,dominican ,republic is the largest     
economy in both the ,caribbean and      
,central ,america region1 and the       
,united ,states is the ,dominican       
,republic's largest trade partner2      
,whereas one of the top contributing    
factors to the ,dominican ,republic's   
economy is remittances1 most of which   
originate from the ,united ,states1     
accounting for #gg4d percent of the     
remittances the ,dominican ,republic    
received in #bjah2 ,whereas one of the  
greatest examples of both nations'      
strong commitment is the ,,cafta-,,dr   
trade agreement1 resulting in stronger  
trade and investment ties1 which has    
also strengthened the relationship and  
furthered the economic prosperity of    

both countries2 ,whereas the highest and
 lowest elevations in the ,west ,indies 
are found within the ,dominican         
,republic's major mountain ranges and   
the fertile valleys which contribute to 
the country's agricultural export       
sector2 ,whereas in addition to trade   
potential1 the ,dominican ,republic's   
mountain terrain1 along with its        
beautiful beaches and other             
geographically unique landscapes1       
creates significant tourism potential2  
,whereas tourism is one of the most     
important sectors in the ,dominican     
,republic's economy1 and ,americans     
account for over #cj percent of         
international travelers visiting the    
country1 comprising #b million of the   
#f4f million who visited in #bjah2      
,whereas ,americans can continue to     
safely enjoy all that the ,dominican    
,republic has to offer1 as the country  
has announced new safety measures1      
including thousands more tourist agents1
 national police1 and public security   

cameras2 and ,whereas the ,dominican    
,republic has also entered into a       
partnership with ,united ,states-based  
,ecolab1 which will provide training and
 certification to all ,department of    
,tourism ,services and ,companies       
inspectors3 ,now1 therefore1 be it      
,that it is the sense of the ,house of  
,representatives that-- 7#a7 under the  
umbrella of the congressionally approved
 bipartisan and bicameral ,friends of   
the ,dominican ,republic ,caucus1 the   
,united ,states ,congress shall continue
 its focus on strengthening the         
relationship between the ,united ,states
 and the ,dominican ,republic2  7#b7    
relations between the ,united ,states   
and the ,dominican ,republic have led to
 expanded economic prosperity1 shared   
cultures1 and increased regional        
stability2  7#c7 the ,dominican         
,republic is a safe1 reliable1 and      
hospitable tourist destination that     
travelers from the ,united ,states and  
countries around the world can enjoy    

without concern2 and  7#d7 the ,united  
,states and the ,dominican ,republic are
 committed to a continued partnership1  
further economic prosperity1 and        
enhanced security and stability in the  
region4