[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 44 (Monday, April 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H1970-H1973]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES AND FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO 
SERVED NATION DURING VIETNAM ERA AND FAMILIES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO 
LOST THEIR LIVES OR REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR OR WERE INJURED DURING THAT 
                                  ERA

  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 228) honoring the members of 
the Armed Forces and Federal civilian employees who served the Nation 
during the Vietnam era and the families of those individuals who lost 
their lives or remain unaccounted for or were injured during that era 
in Southeast Asia or elsewhere in the world in defense of United States 
national security interests.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 228

       Whereas the United States Armed Forces conducted military 
     operations in Southeast Asia during the period (known as the 
     ``Vietnam era'') from February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975;
       Whereas during the Vietnam era more than 3,403,000 American 
     military personnel served in the Republic of Vietnam and 
     elsewhere in Southeast Asia in support of United States 
     military operations in Vietnam, while millions more provided 
     for the Nation's defense in other parts of the world;
       Whereas during the Vietnam era untold numbers of civilian 
     personnel of the United States Government also served in 
     support of United States operations in Southeast Asia and 
     elsewhere in the world;
       Whereas May 7, 2000, marks the 25th anniversary of the 
     closing of the period known as the Vietnam era; and
       Whereas that date would be an appropriate occasion to 
     recognize and express appreciation for the individuals who 
     served the Nation in Southeast Asia and elsewhere in the 
     world during the Vietnam era: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) honors the service and sacrifice of the members of the 
     Armed Forces and Federal civilian employees who during the 
     Vietnam era served the Nation in the Republic of Vietnam and 
     elsewhere in Southeast Asia or otherwise served in support of 
     United States operations in Vietnam and in support of United 
     States national security interests throughout the world;
       (2) recognizes and honors the sacrifice of the families of 
     those individuals referred to in paragraph (1) who lost their 
     lives or remain unaccounted for or were injured during that 
     era, in Southeast Asia or elsewhere in the world, in defense 
     of United States national security interests; and
       (3) encourages the American people, through appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities, to recognize the service and 
     sacrifice of those individuals.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Kuykendall) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Thompson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall).


                             General Leave

  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 228.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 228 to 
recognize and honor members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees

[[Page H1971]]

who served this Nation during the Vietnam era and the families of those 
individuals who lost their lives, remain unaccounted for, or were 
injured during the Vietnam war.
  Twenty-five years ago, we ended our involvement in the Vietnam War. 
And unlike World War II or Korea, our objectives for being in the 
conflicts in Southeast Asia were not very clear. Why were we there? 
What forces of evil or wrongdoing compelled the potential sacrifice of 
American lives? What national security or economic interests of the 
United States were at stake?
  Our involvement in Vietnam sparked tremendous domestic controversy, 
largely because we could not answer those questions. Our soldiers came 
home without fanfare or ticker-tape parades or their hero's welcome we 
have historically showered on returning veterans. Our veterans became 
an easy target for those who questioned our participation in Vietnam; 
and, as a country, we turned our backs on them.
  As a Nation, we struggle to find solutions to world issues that do 
not require military force. However, when needed, the young men and 
women of this Nation answer our call to service.

                              {time}  1500

  We must never again let the popularity of any war effort be the 
measure of when we honor our veterans' service. I will say that again. 
We must never again let the popularity of any war effort be the measure 
of when we honor our veterans' service. We cannot rewrite our past, but 
we can correct those mistakes by acknowledging the service of our 
Vietnam veterans, military and civilian.
  Let me quote Dan Mauro, a Vietnam veteran, to reintroduce my 
colleagues to our Vietnam patriots. In Dan's words, our Vietnam 
veterans ``are men and women. We are dead or alive, whole or maimed, 
sane or haunted. We grew from our experiences or we were destroyed by 
them or we struggle to find some place in between. We lived through 
hell or we had a pleasant, if scary, adventure. We were Army, Navy, 
Marines, Air Force, Red Cross and civilians of all sorts. Some of us 
enlisted to fight for God and country, and some were drafted. Some were 
gung-ho, and some went kicking and screaming.
  ``Like veterans of all wars, we lived a tad bit--or a great bit--
closer to death than most people like to think about. If Vietnam vets 
differ from others, perhaps it is primarily in the fact that many of us 
never saw the enemy or recognized him or her. We heard gunfire and 
mortar fire but rarely looked into enemy eyes. Those who did, like 
folks who encounter close combat anywhere and anytime, are often 
haunted for life by those eyes, those sounds, those electric fears that 
ran between ourselves, our enemies and the likelihood of death for one 
of us. Or we get hard, calloused, tough. All in a day's work.''
  We recognized the heroism of those who lost their lives in Vietnam 
with the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1993. Today, with 
2.5 million visitors annually, this memorial is the most visited place 
in the Nation's capital. This memorial is a fitting tribute to the men 
and women who served in Vietnam. The wall has helped family members and 
friends say a final farewell. It has helped others come to terms with 
their Vietnam service. It has taught a generation about the heroism of 
those who lost their lives in Vietnam.
  It is time now to embrace the service of all our Vietnam veterans, 
those who lived, those who died, those still missing, and all of us 
whose lives were unalterably changed by the experience. It is for this 
reason that House Concurrent Resolution 228 is so important.
  May 7, 2000, marks the 25th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam 
era. House Concurrent Resolution 228 marks this historic anniversary by 
honoring the duty, courage, service and love of family and country 
demonstrated by the 2.7 million Americans who served in Vietnam. Let 
this resolution also stand as notice to those who serve us now, in 
places like the Balkans, Korea, and the Persian Gulf and for the next 
generations of patriots: America will stand by you and will praise your 
service, bravery, and commitment.
  I am proud to have served my country in Vietnam and am honored to be 
recognized as a veteran of that war. Today, I am deeply privileged to 
salute all who served, lost their lives, were injured or are still 
missing in Southeast Asia by supporting this resolution. I thank my 
colleague, the gentleman from California, for his service in Vietnam 
and his efforts to acknowledge the contributions of Vietnam veterans 
and their families. I urge my colleagues in Congress and people across 
the Nation to recognize the contributions of these heroes.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall) 
for bringing House Concurrent Resolution 228 to the floor today. This 
resolution allows Congress and the American people to commemorate the 
service of the men and women who served in both uniformed and civilian 
roles during the Vietnam era. On May 7, 2000, our Nation will observe 
the 25th anniversary of the end of that era. This resolution's genesis 
are the veterans that I have the honor of representing who live today 
at the California veterans home in Yountville in my district. I thank 
all of them and, in particular, John Schmucker, Tom Sarciapone, Sam 
Hollis, Jr., Robert Moak, and the other members of the Allied Council 
of the Yountville veterans home for their generous suggestion for 
honoring Vietnam-era service members and Federal civilian workers.
  Like so many others before us, my generation was called to arms. Most 
of us responded, notwithstanding the controversy and the turmoil the 
Vietnam War caused. Seventy-nine of our current House colleagues and 16 
Senators served, and several served with extraordinary bravery and 
courage. The images of Vietnam are still vivid in our individual and 
collective memories. But what is most surprising is the passage of time 
since our service.
  As I mentioned, May 7 will mark the 25th anniversary of the departure 
of the last U.S. servicemen from Vietnam, a departure that closed the 
Vietnam era and for many of us an important chapter in our lives. 
Between 1961 and 1975, more than 3.4 million Americans served in the 
armed services in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. Elsewhere in 
the world, other U.S. forces stood as sentinels. Whether it was along 
the 38th parallel, at Checkpoint Charlie, the DEW line, Diego Garcia, 
or patrolling undetected under the world's oceans, U.S. servicemen and 
women ensured the peace.
  The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs estimate that more 
than 9.2 million active duty, reserve, and guard personnel protected 
U.S. national security interests throughout the world during the 
Vietnam era. Untold millions of Federal civilian workers also 
contributed to our Nation's defense at a time tensions were growing 
between world superpowers. On the eve of this anniversary, we pause to 
commemorate their service and their sacrifice as well.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution commemorates the sacrifice of every 
individual who served our Nation during that period called the Vietnam 
Era. As important, the resolution expresses appreciation to the 
families of those who died, remain unaccounted for, or who were injured 
during the course of their service during this era. While it is defined 
in the statute by specific dates, until the last of our missing service 
members is found or accounted for, the Vietnam era will never be 
completely closed.
  I again thank the majority leader, the Democratic leader, the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spence), the gentleman from Missouri 
(Mr. Skelton), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Hunter), and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Bonior) for their help in making sure this resolution came to the floor 
at this particular time. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Kuykendall) for his leadership and urge the support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 228.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)

[[Page H1972]]

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Kuykendall) for introducing this and the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Thompson) for their support of this issue as well. As a 
Vietnam veteran and former fighter pilot, I stand in this well honored 
and privileged to speak out in support of this issue.
  As my colleagues said, it was just 25 years ago that the Vietnam era 
officially ended with the infamous fall of Saigon. Although many 
Americans have turned away from this sad chapter in our national 
history, this country cannot and it will not turn away from those young 
men and women who wrote that history with their blood, their pain, and 
their heroic sacrifices. I am proud, as I said, to join my fellow 
veterans of the Vietnam War and the rest of our country in honoring the 
service and the sacrifice of all these men and women wearing our 
Nation's uniform during that very trying time. Let us not forget to 
honor the families, those who sacrificed with the parent, the child, 
the brother or a sister off in a distant land defending their Nation, 
defending our freedom. Some are still in pain with loved ones still 
missing and unaccounted for but never forgotten.
  Honoring these men and women is the least we can do as we start a new 
millennium, as we start a new era. But one thing is and always will be 
certain: our need for the types of men and women like these brave 
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Vietnam. We need types that 
are as dedicated and selfless as those who were sacrificing their lives 
in Vietnam for us.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and thanks I urge all 
my colleagues to support this issue. I urge unanimous passage of this 
humble recognition and fitting commemoration of our fellow citizens, 
Vietnam-era veterans and their families.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), ranking member of 
the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. I wish to pay special commendation to my friend and my colleague, 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), for introducing this 
resolution. I might also note, besides being a very active member of 
our committee, he was a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam 
and served his country well and with dedication during the Vietnam era 
and during that conflict. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Kuykendall) for his strong support of this resolution.
  Although it may not seem it, 25 years have elapsed since the United 
States military forces fought in Vietnam. While not everyone may agree 
that the United States should have participated in the conflict, the 
matter is we did. More important, hundreds of thousands of patriotic 
Americans gave their lives or were wounded while serving this country. 
Still others remain unaccounted for. It is only fitting that we 
recognize their sacrifice on behalf of our great Nation.
  This resolution honors the service of the military members and 
civilians who served during the Vietnam era and also recognizes and 
honors the families who suffered during this conflict. The heroism and 
sacrifices made by these individuals deserve to be recognized, and this 
resolution takes that step.
  In these days when we consider how best to improve access to health 
care for our service members and our military retirees, we must not 
forget that our efforts are really aimed at fulfilling a commitment to 
servicemen and women who served not just in Vietnam but also in the 
Second World War and Korea and the Persian Gulf and elsewhere around 
the globe. We owe them for their service and for the promises our 
government made to them. We cannot and must not let them down regarding 
the very serious issue of health care.
  Mr. Speaker, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and civilians 
who served in Vietnam did their duty to protect our freedom and gave 
hope to the oppressed people of that country. As we approach the 25th 
anniversary of the Vietnam conflict, it is wholly appropriate that we 
commend the service and sacrifice of those who served. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The newspaper back in my district had a front page story this weekend 
with many pictures in the body of it talking about the Vietnam War's 
25th anniversary. For each group of people that served in whatever time 
period you were in, you cannot help but have your memories come 
flooding back when you see these newspaper stories, seeing it now with 
the hindsight of history. It is much different than the day we lived 
it, when we were serving in that particular capacity.
  It is great today as a Member of Congress to be able to recognize on 
the Vietnam War's 25th anniversary the service of those men and women 
who served with the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson) and myself 
in that Southeast Asian conflict. Today, I now have a daughter who 
serves, and I now recognize what my parents must have thought when they 
put me on a plane for several trips to Asia. It is a different feeling 
and yet it is the same feeling you get whether you are doing it today 
or you were doing it 25 years ago or 25 years before that. That is the 
reason we have these recognitions, because a Nation that ever forgets 
to recognize that service has taken one step down a path we do not want 
to be on.
  I would like to encourage everybody, today in this resolution, to 
recognize Vietnam veterans. Just a few minutes ago, we recognized 
G.I.'s for the 20th century.

                              {time}  1515

  But everybody should look around and say ``thank you'' to that uncle 
or that grandfather or that son or daughter or brother or sister that 
you saw serve in the military.
  I was proud of my service. All of us that served were proud of our 
service, and today Congress has a chance in this resolution to 
recognize on the 25th anniversary the service of veterans, both 
military and civilian, who served in Southeast Asia. I urge the passage 
of this resolution.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 228, a bill to recognize and honor the sacrifice and service of 
those members of our Nation's Armed Forces and their civilian defense 
counterparts who served during the Vietnam era. I urge my colleagues to 
join in supporting this worthy legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Vietnam war was neither a popular nor a fully 
supported conflict among the American public, for a large number of 
reasons. The remote location of the fighting, the apparent hesitancy of 
two successive administrations to seek a decisive victory, the 
deterioration, over time, of the United States' established commitment 
to fighting communism in southeast Asia, and the gradual increasing 
unpopularity of the war among the Nation's youth all contributed to the 
eventual withdrawal of United States forces from South Vietnam, Laos 
and Cambodia. A similar, but not quite as severe outcome had occurred 
in the earlier Korean conflict.
  While the returning G.I's from the Korean war had encountered 
indifference from the American population, those returning from Vietnam 
were often met with outright hostility. Moreover, it took more than a 
decade for proper recognition, in the form of a national memorial, to 
be provided for our Vietnam veterans.
  There are still a number of unresolved issues from the Vietnam war. 
Chief among these is the POW/MIA issue. There still remain over 2,000 
unaccounted for servicemembers from the conflict in southeast Asia. 
Regrettably, in recent years, many have sought to downplay the need for 
the fullest possible accounting of those missing personnel in pursuit 
of the establishment of commercial interests in southeast Asia. May 
this resolution be of some solace to the families and loved ones of our 
missing and POW's that there are many of us in the Congress committed 
to a full and final accounting of our missing.
  It bears noting that for today's generation entering college, the 
Vietnam war is as distant as World War II was to the baby boomer 
generation. It is my hope that this resolution will help to preserve 
the memory of the dedicated service and ultimate sacrifice made by the 
members of our Armed Forces who chose to serve their Nation at a time 
when military service was decidedly unpopular.
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 228. This Resolution honors the sacrifice that so many Americans 
gave during the Vietnam conflict.

[[Page H1973]]

  There is no way that any American can view the Vietnam Wall without 
their heart becoming heavy with both pride and sadness. Although this 
war caused so many different views from so many different people, the 
one thing that we all can and should agree upon is the honor of the 
service of those who served in Vietnam.
  They served with the same commitment to honor, duty, and country as 
every American has in wars past. They served during a particularly 
difficult time in our history. But despite the times, they never 
wavered from their devotion to duty. Their actions speak volumes about 
their character when you consider that the average age of the American 
service person in Vietnam was 19.
  Anyone who has read the letters from home between service members and 
their families know the tremendous toll that the war took on both. We 
must never forget their sacrifice.
  Mr. Speaker, there are still open wounds of the heart that have not 
healed yet. That is because there is the unresolved cases of our 
missing MIAs and POWs. Our families can not be at peace until we know 
the whereabouts of their loved ones' remains. Our government must take 
every action necessary to resolve these cases as soon as possible.
  In sum, Mr. Speaker, today I offer praise and respect to all the 
Americans, both military and civilian that served in Vietnam. Their 
sacrifice will never be forgotten.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Nethercutt). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. 
Con. Res. 228.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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