[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 415 Engrossed in House (EH)]








H. Res. 415

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 19, 2006.
Whereas during the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as a 1-
        party state ruled and controlled by the Vietnamese Communist Party, 
        uncompensated confiscation of real and personal property from Vietnamese 
        citizens was a widespread occurrence;
Whereas Article 23 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 
        provides that ``[t]he lawful property of individuals and organizations 
        shall not be nationalized'';
Whereas according to the Department of State, more work is necessary to 
        adequately protect property rights in Vietnam; and
Whereas the people of the United States are firmly committed to freedom, 
        democracy, and basic human rights for the citizens of the Socialist 
        Republic of Vietnam: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) The House of Representatives--
                    (A) welcomes recent attempts by the Government of the 
                Socialist Republic of Vietnam to establish private land use 
                rights for its citizens, and hopes that these rights are quickly 
                expanded to encompass all Vietnamese citizens;
                    (B) calls on the Government of the Socialist Republic of 
                Vietnam to more fully recognize its responsibility to provide 
                equitable, prompt, and fair restitution of property that was 
                confiscated by the government;
                    (C) calls on the Government of the Socialist Republic of 
                Vietnam to direct local officials, particularly in the Central 
                Highlands region, to promptly investigate and resolve complaints 
                about discriminatory and uncompensated confiscation of land;
                    (D) urges the Government of the Socialist Republic of 
                Vietnam to form a national commission for processing restitution 
                claims, and to obligate local government officials, bodies, and 
                agencies to provide all necessary documentation and cooperation 
                to facilitate the implementation of decisions issued by the 
                national commission; and
                    (E) strongly urges the Government of the Socialist Republic 
                of Vietnam--
                            (i) to ensure that implementation of land use 
                        reforms by local officials does not result in increased 
                        inequity in access to land, particularly for the poor 
                        and for those out of favor with the Communist Party; and
                            (ii) to ensure that the government provides fair, 
                        prompt, and equitable restitution to former landowners 
                        for the property rights of all confiscated lands; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
                    (A) the President should specifically consider land use 
                rights for individuals in determining whether the Socialist 
                Republic of Vietnam is a country of particular concern for 
                religious freedom under section 402(b)(1)(A) of the 
                International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
                6442(b)(1)(A)); and
                    (B) the President should direct the Secretary of State to 
                include, in the Secretary of State's annual Country Reports on 
                Human Rights Practices submitted to the Congress under the 
                Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the status of land use rights 
                and restitution claims in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.