,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bghi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #ac1         
#bjbc,mr4 ,ka9e 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,van   
,holl51 ,mr4 ,c>d91 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4   
,padilla1 ,mr4 ,w>n]1 ,mr4 ,book]1 &    
,mr4 ,m]kley7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2  
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,a ,,bill    
,to direct ! ,presid5t to designate a   
mon? z ,african ,diaspora ,h]itage      
,mon?4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be
 cit$ z ! ,african ,diaspora ,h]itage   
,mon? ,act ( #bjbc4  #b4 ,f9d+s         
,congress f9ds t-- 7#a7 ! ,african      
diaspora population 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
has gr[n significantly 9 rec5t ye>s1 ) !
 numb] ( ,african immigrants gr[+ at a  
rate ( almo/ #bdf p]c5t f #bjjj to      
#bjai2  7#b7 ! ,african diaspora        
community is "o ( ! mo/ div]se          
communities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 inclusive
 ( p :o speak multiple languages1 ^: ri*
 h]itage comes f all across ! ,african  
cont95t1 & ^: memb]s practice v>i\s     

fai?s2  7#c7 dur+ ! #ag?1 #ah?1 & #ai?  
c5turies1 a significant numb] ( enslav$ 
p f ,africa 7 br\ght to ! ,unit$ ,/ates2
  7#d7 immigrants ( ,african orig9 boa/ 
"s ( ! highe/ educational a*ievem5ts (  
any immigrant gr\p2  7#e7 ,african      
diaspora h\seholds contribute billions (
 doll>s to ! economy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 
) an e/imat$ #aj1ajj1jjj1jjj 9 ,f$]al   
taxes1 #d1gjj1jjj1jjj 9 ,/ate & local   
taxes1 & a sp5d+ p[] ( m ?an            
#dj1cjj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjae2  7#f7          
,sub-,sah>an ,african immigrants liv+ 9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ,europe1 & else:]e s5t 
back #df1jjj1jjj1jjj 9 remittances to ! 
cont95t ( ,africa 9 #bjba2  7#g7        
,gov]nm5t ag5cies1 includ+ !            
,int]national ,developm5t ,f9ance       
,corporation1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,comm]ce1 ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ! ,treasury1 & ! ,unit$     
,/ates ,trade ,repres5tative are        
critical to inve/m5ts & endur+ mutual   
p>tn]%ips betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates &      
,african nations2  7#h7 9 #bjba1 ?r\gh !
 ,african ,gr[? & ,opportunity ,act 7#ai

 ,u4,s4,c4 #cgja et seq471 ! ,unit$     
,/ates import$ #f1gjj1jjj1jjj 9 goods2  
7#i7 ,prosp] ,africa & o!r simil>       
,gov]nm5t initiatives are critical to   
build+ & /r5g!n+ ties betwe5 ! ,unit$   
,/ates & ,african bus9esses2  7#aj7 !   
total two-way goods trade ) ,sub-,sah>an
 ,africa total$ #dd1hjj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjba1
 a #ba4h-p]c5t increase f               
#cf1gjj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjai2  7#aa7 !       
,african diaspora plays an invaluable   
role 9 %ap+ ,gov]nm5t policy2  7#ab7    
memb]s ( ! ,african diaspora h an       
invaluable und]/&+ ( cross-cultural     
engagem5t betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates &      
,africa1 exi/+ relations & networks on !
 ,african cont95t1 & c support ef=ts to 
facilitate /rong] ties betwe5 ! ,unit$  
,/ates & ,africa2  7#ac7 ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 is committ$ to /r5g!n+ !               
gov]nm5t-to-gov]nm5t relation%ips betwe5
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & c\ntries ?r\gh\t !   
,african cont95t2  7#ad7 ,congress      
/rongly supports ! ho/+ ( ! second      
,unit$ ,/ates-,africa ,lead]s ,summit by

 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 :i* 0 held 9 ,decemb] 
#bjbb1 to boo/ collaboration betwe5 !   
,gov]nm5t & ! ,african diaspora         
community 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & to /r5g!n
 ties betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ,african 
nations by br++ toge!r approximately #di
 ,african heads ( /ate2  7#ae7 !        
,african diaspora h>bors a deep         
commitm5t to family & community1 an     
endur+ "w e?ic1 & a p]sev]ance to succe$
 & contribute to ! society ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates2  7#af7 all memb]s ( ! ,african  
diaspora 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates des]ve access
 to ,f$]al res\rces & a voice 9 !       
,gov]nm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2  7#ag7 !   
,unit$ ,/ates is committ$ to /r5g!n+ !  
dialogue betwe5 ! ,african diaspora &   
,gov]nm5t (ficials ?r\gh ! creation ( ! 
,presid5t's ,advisory ,c\ncil on        
,african ,diaspora ,engagem5t 9 ! ,unit$
 ,/ates2 &  7#ah7 ! ,african diaspora   
community significantly contributes to !
 gr[? & prosp]ity ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 &  
,congress honors ?is abundant & gr[+    
community4  #c4 ,african ,diaspora      

,h]itage ,mon?  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #a (
 title #cf1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is     
am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+ ! second     
section #adf z section #adg2 &  7#b7 by 
add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  #adh4 ,african 
,diaspora ,h]itage ,mon? ,! ,presid5t   
%all issue ea* ye> a proclamation-- 7#a7
 designat+ a mon? z ,african ,diaspora  
,h]itage ,mon?2  7#b7 call+ on ,/ate &  
local gov]nm5ts & ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
to obs]ve ,african ,diaspora ,h]itage   
,mon? ) appropriate programs &          
activities2 &  7#c7 urg+ civil &        
educational au?orities ( ,/ates & local 
gov]nm5ts to obs]ve ,african ,diaspora  
,h]itage ,mon? ?r\gh appropriate        
programs & activities4  4  7b7 ,te*nical
 & con=m+ am5dm5t ,! table ( sections = 
*apt] #a ( title #cf1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,code1 is am5d$ by /rik+ ! item relat+  
to ! second section #adf & ins]t+ !     
foll[+3  #adg4 ,*oose ,respect          
,day4#adh4 ,african ,diaspora ,h]itage  
,mon?4  4