,,iii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #cbb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #bg1 #bjba,mr4  
,c>d9 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4    
,wick]1 & ,mr4 ,tillis7 submitt$ !      
foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !    
,committee on ,=eign ,relations         
,,resolution  ,reaffirm+ ! alliance     
betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ,bulg>ia1      
congratulat+ ,bulg>ia on its ,july #aa1 
#bjba p>liam5t>y elections1 & call+ =   
cont9u$ progress 9 ,bulg>ia t[>ds       
combat+ corruption1 respect+ ! fre$om ( 
! press1 & protect+ m9ority rights4     
,:]eas ,bulg>ia1 :i* is an orig9al      
signatory ( ! ,conf]5ce on ,security &  
,coop]ation 9 ,europe1 done at ,hels9ki 
,augu/ #a1 #aige 7commonly kn[n z !     
,hels9ki ,f9al ,act7-- 7#a7 has         
transition$ f a ,cold ,w>-era1 ,soviet  
satellite to a multi-p>ty democracy ) a 
m>ket economy2 &  7#b7 rema9s an active 
& con/ructive p>ticipant 9 !            
,organization = ,security & ,coop]ation 
9 ,europe 7,,osce72 ,:]eas because ( its

 progress on ! in/itutionalization (    
democratic sy/ems & economic re=ms1     
,bulg>ia jo9$ ! ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty 
,organization 7,,nato7 9 #bjjd & !      
,european ,union 9 #bjjg2 ,:]eas        
,bulg>ia is a /eadfa/ ally ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates 9 an area ( /rategic importance  
to ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas bilat]al     
security coop]ation betwe5 ! ,unit$     
,/ates & ,bulg>ia is deep & gr[+ /rong]1
 includ+ ?r\gh ! ,octob] #bjbj sign+ ( a
 #aj-ye> def5se coop]ation roadmap1 &   
regul> ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y tra9+      
conduct$ 9 ,bulg>ia1 includ+ at ! ,novo 
,selo ,tra9+ ,area2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia has 
contribut$ approximately #ba1jjj troops 
to v>i\s ,,nato missions2 ,:]eas        
,bulg>ia is on track to consi/5tly rea* 
def5se sp5d+ ( at lea/ #b p]c5t ( its   
gross dome/ic product by #bjbd2 ,:]eas !
 int]national obs]v]s repres5t+ ! ,,osce
 ,(fice = ,democratic ,in/itutions &    
,human ,rights1 ! ,,osce ,p>liam5t>y    
,assembly1 & ! ,p>liam5t>y ,assembly ( !
 ,c\ncil ( ,europe conclud$ t ,bulg>ia's

 ,july #aa1 #bjba1 p>liam5t>y elections 
7 competitive ) fundam5tal fre$oms      
g5]ally respect$2 ,:]eas1 on ,july #h & 
#i1 #bjba1 ,bulg>ia ho/$ ! annual summit
 meet+ ( ! ,?ree ,seas ,initiative1 a   
unique region-l$ und]tak+ laun*$ 9 #bjae
 to create a political plat=m & inve/m5t
 fund to promote transportation1 en]gy1 
& digital infra/ructure connectivity    
across its #ab memb] /ates 7,au/ria1    
,bulg>ia1 ,croatia1 ,cze*ia1 ,e/onia1   
,hung>y1 ,latvia1 ,li?uania1 ,pol&1     
,romania1 ,slovakia1 & ,slov5ia72 ,:]eas
 ,bulg>ia's cont9u$ progress has be5    
?reat5$ by multiple int]nal *all5ges1   
includ+ corruption1 & ,bulg>ia is       
consi/5tly among ! l[e/-rank$ ,european 
,union memb] /ates 9 ,transp>5cy        
,int]national's ,corruption ,p]ceptions 
,index2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia 0 rank$ #aab?   
out ( #ahj c\ntries 9 ! ,report]s ,)\t  
,bord]s #bjba ,_w ,press ,fre$om ,index1
 :i* is ! l[e/ position ( any ,european 
,union c\ntry2 ,:]eas1 on ,m>* #aj1     
#bjba1 a ,report]s ,)\t ,bord]s exp]t   

/at$1 ,press fre$om has rea*$ an impasse
 9 ,bulg>ia & indep5d5t m$ia are on !   
br9k ( disappe>+1 cit+ political        
int]f]5ce ) public broadca/]s1 & ! abuse
 ( privately own$ m$ia = political      
purposes1 among o!r conc]ns2 ,:]eas     
,bulg>ia is an attractive1 l[-co/       
inve/m5t de/9ation ) a tal5t$1 te*-savvy
 labor pool1 b has problems ) endemic   
corruption1 includ+ 9 l>ge infra/ructure
 projects & 9 ! en]gy sector2 ,:]eas1 on
 ,june #b1 #bjba1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( !       
,treasury's ,(fice ( ,=eign ,assets     
,control ann\nc$ sanctions "u ! ,global 
,magnitsky ,human ,rights ,acc\ntability
 ,act 7subtitle ,f ( title ,,xii (      
,public ,law #aad-cbh2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4    
#bfef note7 aga9/ #c ,bulg>ian          
individuals & #fd associat$ entities1   
:ile ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate ann\nc$ visa   
bans on #e =m] ,bulg>ian ,gov]nm5t      
(ficials due to corruption2 ,:]eas      
religi\s pluralism has long be5 a       
positive feature ( ,bulg>ian society1   
?\gh ! ,muslim community /ill enc\nt]s  

ob/acles 9 its que/ to reclaim prop]ty &
 build new h\ses ( wor%ip 9 ,s(ia2      
,:]eas ! ,romani community faces sy/emic
 discrim9ation 9 ,bulg>ia1 includ+      
discrim9ation 9 access to education1    
rights to resid5cy1 & access to vot+1 & 
,romani settlem5ts fac$ p>ticul>ly h>%  
re/rictions z a result ( ! ,,covid-#ai  
p&emic2 ,:]eas ,bulg>ia has )held its   
support = neighbor+ ,nor? ,mac$onia to  
op5 accession talks ) ! ,european       
,union2 & ,:]eas ,am]ica's mo/          
successful & endur+ relation%ips are    
built on %>$ values3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t
 ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 reaffirms its commitm5t
 to ! hi/oric p>tn]%ip betwe5 ! ,unit$  
,/ates & ,bulg>ia & to advance          
democracy1 prosp]ity1 & security 9      
,bulg>ia2  7#b7 congratulates !         
,bulg>ian p on ! successful conduct ( ! 
,july #aa p>liam5t>y elections2  7#c7   
decl>es its support = ! ,?ree ,seas     
,initiative2  7#d7 urges ,bulg>ian      
au?orities to r$\ble ef=ts to address   
corruption1 su/a9 & protect a heal?y    

indep5d5t m$ia1 & protect ! rights ( all
 m9ority gr\ps 9 ,bulg>ia1 9 l9e ) its  
commitm5ts to ! ,organization =         
,security & ,coop]ation 9 ,europe2  7#e7
 enc\rages ,bulg>ia to support !        
aspirations = ,european ,union memb]%ip 
( neighbor+ ,nor? ,mac$onia2  7#f7      
supports ,bulg>ia's ef=ts to div]sify   
its en]gy s\rces to m9imize ! malign    
influ5ce ( dom9ant suppli]s2 &  7#g7    
affirms its int5t to cont9ue to support 
,bulg>ia's ef=ts 9 ^! areas1 includ+    
?r\gh ! application ( a wide range (    
supportive measures1 su* z-- 7,a7 t>get$
 ,global ,magnitsky ,sanctions1 z & :5  
appropriate2 &  7,b7 support = indep5d5t
 j\rnalism1 includ+ ?r\gh ! rec5tly     
return$ ,radio ,free ,europe ,bulg>ian  
,s]vice1 :i* excels 9 inve/igative      
report+4