[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 269 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 269

   Expressing the sense of the Senate that a ``Welcome Home Vietnam 
                 Veterans Day'' should be established.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 6, 2005

 Mrs. Boxer submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Senate that a ``Welcome Home Vietnam 
                 Veterans Day'' should be established.

Whereas the Vietnam War took place in Vietnam from 1961 to 1975 in which North 
        Vietnam and the Viet Cong were in conflict with the United States and 
        South Vietnam;
Whereas the United States became involved in Vietnam because policy makers in 
        the United States believed that if South Vietnam fell to a communist 
        government then communism would spread throughout the rest of Southeast 
        Asia;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in an advisory 
        role to the people of South Vietnam in 1961;
Whereas, as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2, 1964 and 
        August 4, 1964, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Joint Resolution 
        entitled ``Joint Resolution to promote the maintenance of international 
        peace and security in southeast Asia'', approved August 10, 1964 (Public 
        Law 88-408; 78 Stat. 384), which effectively granted war-making powers 
        to President Johnson until such time as ``peace and security'' had 
        returned to Vietnam;
Whereas, in 1965, ground combat units of the United States Armed Forces arrived 
        in Vietnam;
Whereas, by the end of 1965, there were 80,000 troops of the United States Armed 
        Forces in Vietnam, and by 1969 the number of troops reached a peak of 
        approximately 543,000;
Whereas, on January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, which 
        required the release of all United States prisoners-of-war held in North 
        Vietnam and the withdrawal of all members of the United States Armed 
        Forces from South Vietnam;
Whereas, on March 30, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed the 
        withdrawal of combat troops from Vietnam;
Whereas more than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their 
        lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 members of the United States 
        Armed Forces were wounded;
Whereas, in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in the District of 
        Columbia to commemorate those members of the United States Armed Forces 
        who died or were declared missing-in-action in Vietnam;
Whereas, as of 2005, more than 1,800 members of the United States Armed Forces 
        remain unaccounted for in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and the Department 
        of Defense continues efforts to recover these members;
Whereas the Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the people of the 
        United States;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and 
        faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam War were caught, 
        upon their return home, in the middle of public debate about the 
        involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 250,000 veterans are 
        homeless every night and that 47 percent of all homeless veterans served 
        during the Vietnam era;
Whereas veterans of the Vietnam War continue to be at risk for post-traumatic 
        stress disorder and health problems related to Agent Orange exposure;
Whereas veterans of the Vietnam War, and all veterans, are entitled to the best 
        care and treatment the Government of the United States can provide;
Whereas the establishment of a ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day'' would be an 
        appropriate way to honor those members of the United States Armed Forces 
        who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War; and
Whereas March 30, 2006 would be an appropriate day to establish as ``Welcome 
        Home Vietnam Veterans Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that a ``Welcome Home 
Vietnam Veterans Day'' should be established to honor those members of 
the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam.
                                 <all>