109 HRES 228 IH: Observing the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Republic of Vietnam to the Communist forces of North Vietnam. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-04-21 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 228 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 21, 2005 Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia (for himself, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Becerra, Ms. Solis, Ms. Watson, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Waters, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Linda T. Sánchez of California, Mr. Filner, Mr. Farr, Mr. Akin, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Honda, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, and Mr. Berman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations RESOLUTION Observing the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Republic of Vietnam to the Communist forces of North Vietnam.

Whereas on April 30, 1975, the Republic of Vietnam fell to the Communist forces of North Vietnam, resulting in a world refugee crisis of historic proportions, and yielding approximately 3,000,000 refugees around the world and at least 500,000 individuals who died at sea; Whereas since 1975, the 1,500,000 Vietnamese who resettled in the United States have, through perseverance and hard work, been able to rebuild their lives and form a vibrant community across the United States which contributes in many significant ways to the richness and diversity of American society; Whereas since 1975, Vietnamese Americans have worked tirelessly to promote democracy and freedom in Vietnam; Whereas the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was established as a one-party state ruled and controlled by the Vietnamese Communist Party; Whereas the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam continues to violate the liberties and civil rights of its own citizens through arbitrary arrests, detentions without trial, and the censorship of peaceful expressions of political and religious beliefs; Whereas Article 4 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam ensures the supremacy of the Vietnamese Communist Party as the only political party in the country while continuing to enforce an extra-legal administrative decree to detain or place under house arrest any dissidents or civilians for up to 2 years, without trial, under the pretext of endangering national security; Whereas, according to the Department of State and international human rights organizations, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam continues to restrict unregistered religious activities and persecutes citizens on the basis of their religious and political affiliation through arbitrary arrests and detention, harassment, physical abuse, censorship, and the denial of the rights of free association and religious worship; Whereas the people of the United States are firmly committed to political, religious, and economic freedom for the citizens of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the United States fully expects equal protection under the law for all Vietnamese citizens, regardless of religious belief, political philosophy, or socio-political association; Whereas the United States honors all members of the United States Armed Forces and members of the South Vietnamese forces who fought in the Vietnam conflict, including those individuals who gave the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, for the cause of freedom during such conflict; and Whereas the interests of the United States with respect to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will be best served when freedom and democracy are fully restored to the Vietnamese people and when basic human rights are respected and enjoyed by all Vietnamese regardless of politics, religion, gender, or ethnic origin: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) observes the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Republic of Vietnam to the Communist forces of North Vietnam; (2)supports all individuals taking part in events in Washington, D.C. and across the United States to observe this tragic event in world history; and (3)urges the people of the United States to share in remembering this tragic event so as to provide a greater understanding of the role that this event had in depriving the people of Vietnam of their liberty and to provide the necessary leadership so that one day the Vietnamese people may enjoy freedom, democracy, and equality.