[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 77 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 77
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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 12, 2003
Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the historic rescue of 50,000
Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust and commending the Bulgarian people
for preserving and continuing their tradition of ethnic and religious
tolerance.
Whereas the people of the United States and the Republic of Bulgaria respect all
faiths, including Judaism and Jewish culture;
Whereas during World War II, despite being allied with Germany, Bulgarians did
not cede to Nazi pressure to fully enforce anti-Jewish legislation and
resisted orders to
deport their Jewish compatriots to Nazi concentration camps;
Whereas in the spring of 1943 the Bulgarian people succeeded in preventing the
deportation of 50,000 Jews to such camps;
Whereas it is acknowledged with sadness that the deportation of over 11,000 Jews
from Thrace and Macedonia territories which were administered by
Bulgaria at that time, to Nazi concentration camps, took place;
Whereas Bulgaria was the only European country during World War II to increase
its Jewish population;
Whereas members of the Bulgarian Parliament, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, King
Boris III, politicians, intellectuals, and citizens all played a part in
the resistance to Nazi pressure to carry out the deportation;
Whereas March 2003 marks the 60th anniversary of Bulgaria's refusal to deport
its Jews to Nazi concentration camps;
Whereas the Bulgarian people today preserve and continue their tradition of
ethnic and religious tolerance; and
Whereas President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha are
leading the United States and Bulgaria into a long-term strategic
partnership: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) commemorates the 60th anniversary of the historic
rescue of 50,000 Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust and commends
the Bulgarian people for preserving and continuing their
tradition of ethnic and religious tolerance; and
(2) reiterates its support for strong ties between the
United States and Bulgaria.
Passed the House of Representatives March 11, 2003.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.