Whereas the Dominican Republic is a crucial partner to the United States in hemispheric affairs, which includes bilateral trade, diplomacy, tourism, and security cooperation, and it is vital to not only maintain but also continue to foster this strong and special relationship; Whereas the strength of the relationship between the United States and the Dominican Republic is rooted in political, economic, and cultural ties which have continuously solidified since the Dominican Republic first gained independence in 1844; Whereas, as the first major wave of Dominican migrants to the United States began in the 1960s and has continued throughout the decades since, there are over 2 million people of Dominican descent who now live in the United States, currently making the Dominican-American community the fifth-largest Hispanic group in the United States; Whereas support between the nations is reciprocal, and the United States is committed to its continued support, both in words and actions, to the Dominican Republic’s democratic and economic development; Whereas the United States greatly benefits from all the valuable contributions made by the Dominican community and Dominican culture, literature, music, and dance, and in sports; Whereas the sport of baseball, commonly known as America’s favorite pastime , is a major source of pride and cultural identity for the Dominican Republic, and as one of the most significant contributors to Major League Baseball, Dominicans not only currently represent 11.6 percent of all MLB starters, but also represent some of the greatest players of all time, including Hall-of-Famers Juan Marichal, Pedro Martinez, and Vladimir Guerrero; Whereas the Dominican Republic is the largest economy in both the Caribbean and Central America region, and the United States is the Dominican Republic’s largest trade partner