[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 65 (Friday, April 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         INTRODUCTION OF THE HMONG VETERANS NATURALIZATION ACT

                                 ______


                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 7, 1995
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Hmong Veterans 
Naturalization Act which would ease naturalization requirements for the 
Hmong, of Laos, who fought alongside the United States Armed Forces 
during the Vietnam war. On April 2, I had the privilege to participate 
in an event held to honor those Lao-Hmong veterans who fought on the 
side of the United States in the Vietnam war at great sacrifice to 
themselves, their families, and their entire community. Hmong of all 
ages fought and died alongside United States soldiers and as a result 
of the brave position they took and their loyalty to the United States 
the Hmong, tragically, lost their homeland. The Hmong people have 
endured these sacrifices and losses. They have worked hard to ensure 
that their culture endured.
  Many who survived the conflict were welcomed to the United States and 
today should be honored for the contributions they are making to our 
communities in my district in Minnesota and to our Nation. Their 
success in rebuilding their families and communities in the United 
States stands as a tribute to them but their cause would be greatly 
helped by passage of the legislation I am introducing today, the Hmong 
Veterans Naturalization Act.
  Although it was not apparent then, their actions had a major impact 
on achieving today's global order and the positive changes of the past 
decade. This time was difficult and extreme
 sacrifices were made by those engaged in the jungles and the highlands 
whether in uniform or in peasant clothing and for those whose homeland 
was the battlefield.

  The Lao-Hmong veterans deserve this recognition and consideration. 
The Vietnam conflict is a page in history for some and forgotten or 
even unknown by our youth, but surely it is an event burned deeply and 
vividly into the minds of the Lao-Hmong veterans and their families who 
shoulder the duty. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Hmong were killed in 
combat and over 100,000 had to flee to refugee camps to survive. While 
it is clear that the Hmong served bravely and sacrificed dearly in the 
Vietnam war, many of those who did survive and made it to the United 
States, are separated from other family members and are having a 
difficult time adjusting to life here. Fortunately there is something 
we can do to speed up the process of family reunification and ease the 
adjustment of Hmong into United States society, at no cost to the 
Federal Government.
  My legislation makes the attainment of citizenship easier for those 
who served in the Special Guerrilla Units by waiving the English 
language test and period in residence requirement. The greatest 
obstacle for the Hmong in becoming a citizen is passing the English 
test. Written characters for Hmong have only been introduced recently, 
and whatever chances most Hmong who served may have had to learn a 
written language were disrupted by the war.
  This bill would also waive the residency requirement for those who 
served in order to speed up the process of family reunification. 
Current law permits aliens or noncitizen nationals who served honorably 
during World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam 
war to be naturalized regardless of age, period of residence or 
physical presence in the United States. There is a well-established 
precedent of modifying naturalization requirement for military service, 
recently reaffirmed by passage of legislation granting citizenship to 
those who served in the Filipino Scouts during World War II.
  The Hmong stood by the United States at a crucial time and that 
service deserves recognition and today we should stand with the Lao-
Hmong in their struggle to become citizens and to live a good life in 
our Nation.


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