[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 130 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 130

        Designating March 29, 2015, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               March 27 (legislative day, March 26), 2015

     Mr. Burr (for himself and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
        Designating March 29, 2015, as ``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 on April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese regular forces captured Saigon, the 
        capital of South Vietnam, effectively placing South Vietnam under 
        Communist control;
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; and
Whereas designating March 29, 2015, as ``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: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates March 29, 2015, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day'';
            (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of veterans who 
        served in the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam during war 
        and during peace;
            (3) encourages States and local governments to designate 
        March 29, 2015, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        the Vietnam Veterans Day with appropriate ceremonies and 
        activities that--
                    (A) provide the appreciation veterans of the 
                Vietnam War deserve, but did not receive upon returning 
                home from the war;
                    (B) demonstrate the resolve that never again shall 
                the people of the United States disregard and denigrate 
                a generation of veterans;
                    (C) promote awareness of the faithful service and 
                contributions of the veterans of the Vietnam War during 
                military service as well as to the communities of the 
                veterans since returning home;
                    (D) promote awareness of the importance of entire 
                communities empowering veterans and the families of 
                veterans in helping the veterans readjust to civilian 
                life after military service; and
                    (E) promote opportunities for veterans of the 
                Vietnam War to assist younger veterans returning from 
                the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in rehabilitation from 
                wounds, both seen and unseen, and to support the 
                reintegration of younger veterans into civilian life.
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