[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 626 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 626

Commending Turkish Americans nationwide for their rich contributions to 
   the diversity of society, culture, economy, and civic life in the 
                             United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 16, 2017

  Mr. Brown of Maryland submitted the following resolution; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commending Turkish Americans nationwide for their rich contributions to 
   the diversity of society, culture, economy, and civic life in the 
                             United States.

Whereas, on October 29, 1923, the Republic of Turkey was established;
Whereas the visionary leader of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, became the 
        Turkish Republic's first President;
Whereas, on July 24, 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne determined the borders of the 
        Turkish Republic;
Whereas more than 500,000 Americans of Turkish and Turkic heritage, who 
        immigrated to the United States as scientists, engineers and physicians 
        since 1950, and small business owners and skilled labor since 1980, 
        reside in the United States;
Whereas to represent themselves nationally, Turkish Americans have formed civic 
        institutions to promote their history and culture;
Whereas to share the Turkish tradition of generosity and hospitality and to 
        contribute richly to American cultural diversity, education, and 
        integration, Turkish Americans have hosted American school teachers on 
        visits to Turkey, annual festivals, and educational and cultural speaker 
        events across the country;
Whereas Turkish Americans are an important part of the fabric of the United 
        States, as evidenced by their rich contributions to the arts, science, 
        academics, law, business and the civic life of this country, including 
        the co-founder of Atlantic Records and the New York Cosmos soccer team, 
        Ahmet Ertegun, whose ``jazz diplomacy'' and ``sports diplomacy'' helped 
        Americans embrace diversity; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 
        Coca-Cola Company Muhtar Kent; Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Aziz Sancar; co-
        founders of Sierra Nevada Corporation and producer of the Dream Chaser 
        Spacecraft, Eren and Fatih Ozmen; founder of Hittite Microwave 
        Corporation Yalcin Ayasli; Associate Group Leader of the Massachusetts 
        Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory Dr. Serpil Ayasli; 
        television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz; President and Chief Executive 
        Officer of Keystone Construction and Keystone Realty Group and founder 
        of the Indy 11 Indianapolis Soccer Team Ersal Ozdemir; music producer 
        Arif Mardin; Federal Judge Halil Suleyman Ozerden; State Judges Jay 
        Karahan and Ali Paksoy; founder and Chief Executive Officer of Natural 
        Foods Source Murat Guzel; founder and Chief Executive Officer of Chobani 
        Yogurt Hamdi Ulukaya; former National Football League player Tunch Ilkin 
        and National Basketball Association players Omer Asik, Mehmet Okur, 
        Ersan Ilyasova, Hidayet Turkoglu, and Enes Kanter; and many others; and
Whereas Turkish Americans serve as goodwill ambassadors promoting greater 
        understanding between the United States and Turkey by informing the 
        people in the United States about their rich Turkish cultural heritage 
        and the importance of the strategic partnership to advance mutual 
        interests and shared values between the United States and Turkey: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends Turkish 
Americans nationwide for their rich contributions to the diversity of 
society, culture, economy, and civic life in the United States.
                                 <all>