[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 406 Received in Senate (RDS)]

  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 406


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 15, 2002

                                Received

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Honoring and commending the Lao Veterans of America, Laotian and Hmong 
  veterans of the Vietnam War, and their families, for their historic 
                  contributions to the United States.

Whereas one of the largest clandestine operations in United States military 
        history was conducted in Laos during the Vietnam War;
Whereas the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States Armed Forces 
        recruited, organized, trained, and assisted Laotian and Hmong guerrilla 
        units and conventional forces, including ethnic lowland Lao and highland


Laotians composed of Hmong, Khmu, Mien, Yao, Lahu, and other diverse tribal 
and nontribal ethnic groups, from 1960 through 1975 to combat the North 
Vietnamese Army and Communist Pathet Lao forces;

Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces who served in the United States 
        sponsored ``Secret Army'' courageously saved numerous American pilots 
        and aircrews who were shot down over Laos or North Vietnam and 
        interdicted and helped to destroy many enemy units and convoys intended 
        to engage United States military forces in combat;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces served in key roles with air force 
        elements of the United States Air Force, United States Navy carrier-
        based air units, United States Army heliborne units, and the Central 
        Intelligence Agency's ``Air America'' in distinguished roles such as T-
        28 fighter pilots, ``Raven'' spotter co-pilots, Forward Air Guides, and 
        mobile group rescue and combat reconnaissance units;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces, including highly decorated group 
        mobile units, served in daring and courageous heliborne and airborne 
        combat operations in support of joint United States and Royal Lao Army 
        military operations in Laos and Vietnam, including interdiction of enemy 
        troop movements and supply convoys using the Ho Chi Minh Trail;
Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces guarded one of the most highly 
        sensitive United States intelligence and electronic targeting sites in 
        all of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, LIMA Site 85, which 
        permitted the United States Air Force and Navy to conduct the all-
        weather and night bombing of enemy targets in North Vietnam;
Whereas tens of thousands of members of the Laotian and Hmong special forces and 
        their families were trapped in Laos when the Communists took over, and 
        many of these persons were brutally persecuted, imprisoned, or killed 
        because of their role in defending Laos and assisting the United States 
        as allies;
Whereas many of those members of the Laotian and Hmong special forces and their 
        families who avoided capture suffered for years in horrific conditions 
        as political refugees in refugee camps in neighboring Thailand;
Whereas the United States is now the home to significant communities of the 
        Laotian and Hmong veterans and their families after providing them with 
        political asylum, refugee status, and citizenship because of their 
        unique contribution to United States national security interests during 
        the Vietnam War;
Whereas the Lao Veterans of America was founded as a nonprofit veterans 
        organization in 1990 to honor and assist Laotian and Hmong veterans who 
        served with or assisted the United States Armed Forces during the 
        Vietnam War;
Whereas the Lao Veterans of America has established chapters throughout the 
        United States that have sought to serve their communities and educate 
        the public about the historic contribution of the Lao and Hmong veterans 
        during the Vietnam War;
Whereas the Lao Veterans of America spearheaded and led national efforts in the 
        Congress to seek to provide citizenship to elderly Laotian and Hmong 
        veterans, as well as their spouses or widows;
Whereas in 1995, a historic Lao Veterans of America ceremony was held at the 
        airbase and headquarters of the 144th Fighter Wing of the Air National 
        Guard in Fresno, California, along with a memorial service and 
        overflights of T-28 fighter aircraft to honor the Laotian and Hmong 
        veterans, their American advisers, and the Lao Veterans of America and 
        other veterans organizations;
Whereas in 1997, long overdue national recognition and honor was finally 
        bestowed upon the Lao Veterans of America and thousands of Laotian and 
        Hmong veterans and their American advisers at the Vietnam Veterans 
        Memorial in the District of Columbia and at Arlington National Cemetery 
        in Arlington, Virginia, by Members of the Congress and representatives 
        of the United States intelligence, military, and diplomatic communities;
Whereas in 1997, a monument was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery by the 
        Lao Veterans of America to honor the Laotian and Hmong veterans and 
        their American advisers who served during the Vietnam War; and
Whereas in 2000, thousands of additional Lao and Hmong veterans were again 
        honored, after a veterans memorial service and parade lead by the Lao 
        Veterans of America that progressed from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 
        past the White House, and down Pennsylvania Avenue to the United States 
        Capitol, where a national commemorative service was held: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress honors and commends the Lao Veterans of America, Laotian 
and Hmong veterans of the Vietnam War who served with or assisted the 
United States Armed Forces, and the families of these Laotian and Hmong 
veterans, for their historic contributions to the United States.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 10, 2002.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.