[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 104 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 104

        Supporting the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2014

 Mr. Michaud submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
        Supporting the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day.

Whereas the Vietnam War was fought in the Republic of South Vietnam from 1961 to 
        1975, and involved North Vietnamese regular forces and Viet Cong 
        guerrilla forces in armed conflict with United States Armed Forces, 
        allies of the United States, and the armed forces of the Republic of 
        Vietnam;
Whereas the United States Armed Forces became involved in Vietnam because the 
        United States Government wanted to provide direct military support to 
        the Government of South Vietnam to defend itself against the growing 
        Communist threat from North Vietnam;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in an advisory 
        role to the Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in 1950;
Whereas as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2 and 4, 1964, 
        Congress overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 
        88-408), on August 7, 1964, which provided the authority to the 
        President of the United States to prosecute the war against North 
        Vietnam;
Whereas in 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat units arrived in 
        Vietnam;
Whereas by September 1965, there were over 129,000 United States troops in 
        Vietnam, and by 1969, a peak of approximately 543,000 troops was 
        reached;
Whereas on January 27, 1973, the Agreement Ending the War and Restoring Peace in 
        Vietnam (commonly known as the ``Paris Peace Accords'') was signed, 
        which required the release of all United States prisoners-of-war held in 
        North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from 
        South Vietnam;
Whereas on March 29, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed the 
        withdrawal of combat units and combat support units from South 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 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 the Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the people of the 
        United States and a conflict that caused a generation of veterans to 
        wait too long for the United States public to acknowledge and honor the 
        efforts and services of such veterans;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and 
        faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam War were often 
        wrongly criticized for the policy decisions made by 4 presidential 
        administrations in the United States;
Whereas the establishment of a ``Vietnam Veterans Day'' would be an appropriate 
        way to honor those members of the United States Armed Forces who served 
        in South Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War;
Whereas March 29 would be an appropriate day to establish as ``Vietnam Veterans 
        Day''; and
Whereas President Obama designated March 29, 2012, as Vietnam Veterans Day under 
        Presidential Proclamation 8789 (77 Fed. Reg. 20275): Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day;
            (2) encourages the President to take action through 
        proclamation or other means to pay tribute, when appropriate, 
        to veterans of the Vietnam War; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to pay 
        proper tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War with appropriate 
        ceremonies, programs, and activities.
                                 <all>