[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 69 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 69

        Designating March 29, 2019, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 13, 2019

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
        Designating March 29, 2019, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''.

Whereas the Vietnam War was fought in the Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975 
        and involved regular forces from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and 
        Viet Cong guerrilla forces in armed conflict with the Armed Forces of 
        the United States, the armed forces of allies of the United States, and 
        the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas the Armed Forces of the United States became involved in Vietnam because 
        the United States Government wanted to provide direct support by the 
        Armed Forces to the Government of the Republic of Vietnam to defend 
        against the growing threat of Communism from the Democratic Republic of 
        Vietnam;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces of the United States began serving in an 
        advisory role to the Government of South Vietnam in 1955;
Whereas, as a result of the incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 2 and 4, 
        1964, Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 88-
        408) by an overwhelming majority on August 7, 1964, which provided to 
        the President of the United States the authority to use armed force to 
        assist the Republic of Vietnam in the defense of its freedom against the 
        Democratic Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas, in 1965, ground combat units of the Armed Forces of the United States 
        arrived in the Republic of Vietnam to join approximately 23,000 
        personnel of the Armed Forces who were already present there;
Whereas, by September 1965, between 150,000 and 190,000 troops of the Armed 
        Forces of the United States were in Vietnam, and by 1969, the number of 
        such troops reached a peak of approximately 549,500, including members 
        of the Armed Forces who were supporting the combat operations from 
        Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and aboard Navy vessels;
Whereas, on January 27, 1973, the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring 
        Peace in Viet-Nam (commonly known as the ``Paris Peace Accords'') was 
        signed, which required the release of all prisoners-of-war of the United 
        States held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all Armed Forces of 
        the United States from South Vietnam;
Whereas, on March 29, 1973, the Armed Forces of the United States 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 Armed Forces of the United States lost 
        their lives in the Vietnam War, and more than 300,000 members of the 
        Armed Forces of the United States were wounded in Vietnam;
Whereas, in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in the District of 
        Columbia to commemorate the members of the Armed Forces of the United 
        States 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 public of the United States to acknowledge and 
        honor the efforts and services of those veterans;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the 
        United States during the Vietnam War were often wrongly criticized for 
        the decisions of policymakers that were beyond the control of those 
        members; and
Whereas designating March 29, 2019, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day'' would be an 
        appropriate way to honor the members of the Armed Forces of the United 
        States 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, 2019, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day'';
            (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of the veterans 
        of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in Vietnam 
        during war and during peace;
            (3) encourages States and local governments to designate 
        March 29, 2019, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        Vietnam Veterans Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities 
        that--
                    (A) provide the appreciation that veterans of the 
                Vietnam War deserve;
                    (B) demonstrate the resolve that the people of the 
                United States shall never forget the sacrifices and 
                service of a generation of veterans who served in the 
                Vietnam War;
                    (C) promote awareness of the faithful service and 
                contributions of the veterans of the Vietnam War--
                            (i) during service in the Armed Forces of 
                        the United States; and
                            (ii) 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 service in the Armed Forces; and
                    (E) promote opportunities for veterans of the 
                Vietnam War--
                            (i) to assist younger veterans returning 
                        from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 
                        rehabilitation from wounds, both seen and 
                        unseen; and
                            (ii) to support the reintegration of 
                        younger veterans into civilian life.
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