[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 87 (Monday, July 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H5679-H5682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING VIETNAMESE AMERICANS AND OTHERS WHO SEEK TO
IMPROVE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 322) expressing the sense of
the Congress regarding Vietnamese Americans and others who seek to
improve social and political conditions in Vietnam, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 322
Whereas the Armed Forces of the United States and the Armed
Forces of the Republic of Vietnam fought together for the
causes of freedom and democracy in the former Republic of
Vietnam;
Whereas the Armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam
suffered enormous casualties, including over 250,000 deaths
and more than 750,000 wounded between 1961 and 1975 for the
cause of freedom;
Whereas many officers and enlisted personnel suffered
imprisonment and forcible reeducation at the direction of the
Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas on June 19 of each year, the Vietnamese American
community traditionally commemorates those who gave their
lives in the struggle to preserve the freedom of the former
Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas June 19 serves as a reminder to Vietnamese
Americans that the ideals and values of democracy are
precious and should be treasured; and
Whereas the Vietnamese American community plays a critical
role in raising international awareness of human rights
concerns regarding the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
[[Page H5680]]
(1) commends the sacrifices of those who served in the
Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam; and
(2) applauds the contributions of all individuals whose
efforts have focused, and continue to focus, international
attention on human rights violations in Vietnam.
Amend the title so as to read: ``Concurrent resolution
expressing the sense of Congress regarding the sacrifices of
individuals who served in the Armed Forces of the former
Republic of Vietnam.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from American
Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
General Leave
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam 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. 322.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks, and include extraneous material.)
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, this Member rises in strong support of
H. Con. Res. 322, a resolution that recognizes the sacrifices made by
Vietnamese Americans who served in the armed forces of the former
Republic of Vietnam. This Member congratulates the efforts of the
distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) to recognize the
Vietnamese who fought bravely side by side with U.S. forces in Vietnam
and to applaud all those whose efforts focus international attention on
human rights violations in Vietnam. This Member is pleased to be a
cosponsor of the legislation.
Each year on June 19, the Vietnamese-American community traditionally
commemorates those who gave their lives in the struggle to preserve the
freedom of the former Republic of Vietnam. During the war, the armed
forces of the Republic of Vietnam suffered enormous casualties
including over 250,000 killed and more than 750,000 wounded. They
continued to suffer after the fighting ended when many were imprisoned
and forced to undergo so-called reeducation. They continue their
efforts even now playing an important role in raising international
awareness of human rights violations in the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam.
Moreover, Vietnamese Americans, many of whom arrived as refugees with
little but the clothes on their backs, have made tremendous
achievements and have contributed greatly to this country.
Earlier this year, this body approved H. Con. Res. 295 on Human
Rights and Political Oppression in Vietnam. There was inevitably some
duplication in the two initiatives. Therefore this Member, with the
concurrence of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis), the sponsor of
the resolution, amended H. Con. Res. 322 only to eliminate duplication.
The resolution now focuses on commemorating the service and sacrifices
of the former members of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam.
This Member urges all his colleagues to support this laudable
resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I would like to strongly urge my
colleagues to support this legislation. I certainly want to commend the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of our committee,
for bringing this resolution to the floor. I also want to commend the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, for making the proper changes to
this resolution that is now before us.
Madam Speaker, while Vietnam has made a bit of progress in the past
few years in opening up its society, we need to maintain pressure on
the Vietnamese government to move more aggressively towards democracy.
This resolution recognizes the important role that the more than 1
million Vietnamese Americans in our nation play in raising the
awareness of the Vietnam human rights record.
The resolution also recognizes the sacrifices made by the armed
forces of the United States and the former Republic of Vietnam in
fighting to bring democracy and freedom to that nation. We are right to
get the Congress on record on all of these issues.
I want to note also, Madam Speaker, the tremendous contributions 1
million Vietnamese Americans make to the betterment of our Nation
becoming mainstream Americans. They are such an industrious people in
education, business, and all walks of life. I want to commend the 1
million Vietnamese Americans that we have who are members of our
Nation.
Yet with all this, I think we can also recognize that their hearts
are still with the mother country, hopefully, in some way, and somehow
that the greater sense of democracy will come about with the current
administration of Vietnam in that country.
Madam Speaker, I do urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Again, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for managing
this legislation on the floor.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as
he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr.
Bilbray), who has followed Vietnamese-American relations very carefully
and has a direct knowledge of the contributions of the Vietnamese-
American community to this country in his part of the Nation.
Mr. BILBRAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con.
Res. 322. I want to publicly thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Davis) and the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman), but most
importantly, because he is here today, the gentleman from Nebraska
(Chairman Bereuter) for allowing this resolution to come to the floor.
Madam Speaker, many of us from all over the country know about the
problems and the trials and tribulations of individuals who immigrated
to this country from the Republic of Vietnam.
I think that it's appropriate to repeat why so many Vietnamese fought
and died for freedom and democracy in their country. Over 250,000
Vietnamese from the Republic of Vietnam died in this struggle. Let me
say this sincerely, they not only died for themselves, but also in the
struggle against tyrannies, against oppression.
Frankly, I think too often we talk about a lot of inconsequential
issues, but we need to remember that there is a long black wall down at
the other end of the Mall. Many Americans and Vietnamese Americans walk
that wall and trace out names. I think too often that, when we talk
about that long black wall, we think about it as something that is in
the past, something that is over, something that somebody else did or
another generation did.
Madam Speaker, I am here to remind us all that the war may be over;
but the struggle for what that wall symbolizes, the struggle for what
the Vietnamese people in the Republic of Vietnam were fighting for, the
struggle for what American men and women fought and died for is still
going on today.
There are still individuals in Vietnam who are being tagged as ``hard
core'', and who are in reeducation facilities. Now I think we all know
what kind of catch word ``reeducation'' means. It basically means, if
one does not think like the government, the government will teach one
how to rethink so one thinks only their way.
Madam Speaker, I think that, as we address this resolution today, we
should commit ourselves to the fact that the men and women that are
symbolized on our wall at the other end of the Mall and the men and
women who died from the Republic of Vietnam will be remembered by our
constant quest to make sure that this struggle for freedom does
continue.
I want to say, though, too, I guess too often we talk about
``hyphenated Americans'', and maybe being a son of a so-called
``hyphenated American'', I am always reminded that we are really not
talking about Vietnamese. We are talking about Americans who came from
Vietnam. We are talking about
[[Page H5681]]
people that have made, not only a great struggle in Vietnam fighting
Communism, but also a great struggle and great success at becoming new
Americans, at becoming what this country has always promised the rest
of the world: that if one works hard, one studies hard, one strives to
do their best, if one is willing to make a contribution to this free
society, this free society will reward one through one's own sweat of
one's own brow.
I think that we all need to remind ourselves that these immigrants
who came from the Republic of Vietnam, and as an example to all of us
no matter what our race, what our creed, what our gender, that there
still is the opportunity for those who are willing to work hard, to
strive, and to contribute.
In closing, in San Diego County, we have a very large population of
individuals who emigrated from the Republic of Vietnam, and their
children now are as American as anyone who has been here for 200, 300
years. I am very proud that, when I go to review ROTC units, when we
see the military young men and women lining up in San Diego, we will
see the sons and the daughters of men and women who fought for their
homeland and emigrated from the Republic of Vietnam in the worst of
circumstances, but have learned the best of lessons both from their
country of the past and their newly adopted country of the future.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I also want to compliment the gentleman from
California (Mr. Bilbray) for his comments on this piece of legislation.
I should also note the fact that 58,000 American lives were lost in
that terrible conflict. I think, if we are to assess what lesson our
Nation has learned from Vietnam, I can say that, if we are ever to
commit our men and women in uniform to engage in a war against enemy
forces, our Nation's political and military leaders must all be
committed to one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to win the
war, nothing less, nothing more.
There is no such thing as a half-baked war, Madam Speaker. We are
there to win, or do not waste the resources or the valuable blood of
the men and women in uniform. That is probably the lesson I learned
from Vietnam, Madam Speaker.
I think more important, in essence, is the fact we have 1 million
Vietnamese Americans who believe in democracy, who believe in our form
of government, who believe in the system where everybody is given
better treatment, that no one is above the law. That is what America is
about.
I want to commend again the many Vietnamese Americans who have made
tremendous sacrifice, not only for their country, but their willingness
to come here and make tremendous contributions for the betterment of
our own Nation.
Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for
managing this piece of legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega) for his insightful statement. As a Vietnam-era veteran, I
certainly appreciate the wisdom of what he has just said regarding
appropriate foreign and security policy.
I would also like to compliment the distinguished gentleman from
California (Mr. Bilbray) for his insightful statement, very much
focused on the many contributions that Vietnamese, who happen now to be
American citizens, are making to this country and to all of those who
are striving for citizenship.
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), vice chairman of the
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
Madam Speaker, I have on two occasions seen the rapport and the
attention that the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) gives to
Asians who are living in his district, immigrants, refugees, and to
those many who have become citizens actively participating in the
economy and the politics of California.
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Nebraska (Chairman
Bereuter) is the author of this particular legislation, of this
approach, of which I am a cosponsor. I want to thank him for
introducing this bill.
It is important that we honor those in the Armed Forces in the United
States and in the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam who fought
together. These brave individuals risked their lives for liberty, and
their actions should be honored 25 years now after the fall of Saigon.
We must remember their deeds while working for increased political and
economic freedom in the socialist Republic of Vietnam.
I recently visited Vietnam. During my trip there, I paid a visit to
the Venerable Thich Quang Do, who is the 72-year-old leader of the
banned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.
Because of his peaceful protests, those protests that he engaged in
in support of political freedom and religious freedom, Thich Quang Do
has been imprisoned and exiled. Even though he was under surveillance,
Thich Quang Do welcomed my visit.
My private visits to him and Le Quang Liem, another dissident, were
quickly denounced by the government. It is obvious the Vietnamese
government is sensitive to international criticism. This obligates the
United States to speak out constantly against the Vietnamese
government's human rights violations. We may not always realize it, but
protests by the American government and by the American people do help
the cause of freedom in Vietnam. Silence is no alternative.
This international criticism has come about in large part due to the
tireless work of the Vietnamese-American communities. Their efforts to
raise awareness about human rights and about the violations of basic
freedoms of Vietnam have a critical, critical effect.
It is imperative that we continue pressuring for increased openness
in Vietnam. A two-track policy of engaging the Vietnamese government on
economic reform on one hand while pressuring it on its political and
religious repression, that approach requires diplomatic finesse. But if
done right, it promises to bring long-sought freedom to the Vietnamese
people, freedom for which many Americans have sacrificed.
I want to commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Chairman Bereuter) for
his authorship of this two-pronged approach. We all hope that it is
successful in engaging and changing Vietnam.
{time} 1515
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume to compliment the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), who
just spoke, for focusing on the policy implications and the direction
that we should take in our relationship with the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam. Certainly all of us want to work closely with our
distinguished former colleague, Ambassador Pete Peterson, and we have
been doing that on a variety of programs and votes in this effort here.
We would hope that our policies and actions regarding the government
of Vietnam might bring some better results. We have at the current time
trade negotiations ongoing in this city, and we hope that, in fact, the
kind of response from the Vietnamese will be forthcoming and will
result in a better human rights record in Vietnam and an opportunity,
therefore, to improve our relationship with that country.
I thank my colleague for his outstanding statement, I thank the
gentleman from American Samoa for his role, and I particularly wish to
thank my staff director from the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific,
Mike Ennis, for his outstanding work in this effort, in working with
the staff of the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis).
Madam Speaker, I urge support of the resolution.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this
resolution commending the Vietnamese American Community for its work in
bringing democratic principles and practices to the people of Vietnam.
Social equality is the backbone of the American government and a
fundamental principle in every democratic government.
As the leading democratic country in the world, the United States
should take care to
[[Page H5682]]
applaud the efforts of all people who have worked to spread democracy
throughout the earth including the contributions of the Vietnamese
American people.
After the fall of Saigon, the Vietnam's government punished those
Vietnamese who had allied with the U.S. North Vietnam forces placed
hundreds of thousands of southerners in prisons, re-education camps and
economic zones in efforts to remove subversion and to consolidate the
country.
The Communists created a society of suspicion that hounded prisoners
even after their release. The men were treated as second class
citizens. Families were deprived of employment and their children could
not attend college. Police interrogated families if ex-prisoners were
not seen for more than a day.
Prisoners were considered expendable, worked to death and forced to
walk in rows down old minefields to find out where they were. Daughters
of South Vietnamese military men were sometimes forced by destitution
to become prostitutes.
The re-education camps remained the predominant devise of social
control in the late 1980s. Considered to be institutions where
rehabilitation was accomplished through education and socially
constructive labor, the camps were used to incarcerate members of
certain social classes in order to coerce them to accept and conform to
the new social norms.
Sources say that up to 200,000 South Vietnamese spent at least a year
in the camps, which range from model institutions visited by foreigners
to remote jungle shacks were inmates died of malnutrition and disease.
As late as 1987, Vietnamese officials stated that about 7,000 people
remained in re-education camps.
The first wave of refugees, in 1975, had no established Vietnamese
American communities to rely upon for help. Assistance came from
government programs, private individuals, nonprofit organizations and
churches. Vietnamese men who held high positions in their homeland took
whatever jobs they could get. Vietnamese woman became full-time wage
earners, often for the first time.
Most refugees in the first wave were young, well-educated urban
elites, professionals and people with technical training. Despite the
fact that many first wave arrivals were from privileged backgrounds,
few were well prepared to take up new life in America. The majority did
not speak English and all found themselves in the midst of a strange
culture.
The refugees who arrived in the US often suffered traumatic
experiences while escaping Vietnam by sea. Those caught escaping after
the fall of Saigon, including children, were jailed. Almost every
Vietnamese American family has a member who arrived as a refugee or who
died en route.
Many Vietnamese Americans still refuse to accept the current
communist government of their former homeland. For many, the pain,
anger and hatred felt toward the communist regime that forced them into
exile remains fresh. Fiercely proud of their heritage, yet left without
a homeland, many Vietnamese Americans have vowed never to acknowledge
that Vietnam is now one communist country.
The story of Le Van Me and wife Sen is a typical one of many
refugees. Me was a lieutenant colonel in the South Vietnamese Army when
they came to the U.S. They spent time in a refugee camp in Fort
Chaffee, Arkansas, until the government found a church in Warsaw,
Missouri, to sponsor them. In the small rural town, Me worked as a
janitor for the church and all the parishioners helped the family in
any way they could--giving them clothes, canned preserves, even working
together to renovate a house where the family could live.
Me took classes at the community college. After 11 months, the family
moved to California, drawn by the jobs rumored to be there. Me got a
job as an electronic technician and started attending a neighborhood
community college again. Sen was determined not to use food stamps for
longer than two weeks. Within three years, they bought a three bedroom
house in north San Jose. As Me explained ``You really don't know what
freedom is until you nearly die fighting for it.''
Saigon fell 25 years ago, but the memories are still raw for many
Vietnamese people. The exodus from Vietnam since 1975 has created a
generation of exiles. The efforts of everyone, especially Vietnamese-
Americans, to bring democracy must be recognized. We should hesitate no
longer to make it known that the United States Congress proudly
recognizes these efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I urge each of my colleagues to support this Resolution.
Mr. GILMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 322 expressing the sense of Congress regarding
the sacrifices of individuals who served in the Armed Forces of the
former Republic of Vietnam.
I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Davis, for
introducing this resolution and for his continuing commitment to human
rights and democracy in Vietnam.
I want to thank the chairman of the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee, Mr.
Bereuter, for his work in crafting the final language in this measure.
Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that 10 years after the end of the
cold war, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is still a one-party state
ruled and controlled by a Communist Party which represses political and
religious freedoms and commits numerous human rights abuses.
It is appropriate that we recognize those who fought to oppose this
tyranny which has fallen across Vietnam and those who continue the
vigil of struggling for freedom and democracy there today.
Accordingly, I urge Hanoi to cease its violations of human rights and
to undertake the long-overdue liberalization of its moribund and
stifling political and economic system. The people of Vietnam clearly
deserve better.
Finally, I call upon the Vietnamese government to do all it can--
unilaterally--to assist in bringing our POW/MIAs home to American soil.
I want to praise this resolution for pointing out the injustice that
tragically exists in Vietnam today and those who have--and are--still
opposing it.
Once again I want to commend Mr. Davis for introducing this
resolution and his abiding dedication to improving the lives of the
people of Vietnam.
I am proud to be a cosponsor of this measure and I strongly urge my
colleagues to support it and send a strong signal to Hanoi that it is
time to free the minds and spirits of the Vietnamese people.
Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 322, which honors the wonderful contributions of
our nation's Vietnamese-Americans in raising awareness of human rights
abuses in Vietnam. I thank my colleagues Mr. Davis and Ms. Sanchez for
their hard work on this issue. I am proud to be an original cosponsor
of this important resolution, and urge my colleagues' overwhelming
support today.
I represent San Jose, California, a community greatly enriched by the
presence of immigrants. Quite a few of my constituents came to San Jose
as refugees, escaping the brutal and oppressive political regime in
Hanoi. I worked with those refugees as a Santa Clara County Supervisor,
and many of those people have become my friends throughout the years. I
believe that they have a unique perspective on the state of our
country's relationship with Vietnam that is of immense value.
A quarter century after the fall of Saigon, the Communist government
continues to oppress its citizens and violate their basic human rights.
Stories of political repression, religious persecutions and extra-
judicial detentions are all too common. Many Vietnamese-Americans have
worked tirelessly to bring these violations to light, here in the
United States and to the international community. As a result of their
extraordinary dedication, awareness of the abuses of the Vietnamese
government is growing exponentially.
I applaud their continued effort to bring democratic ideals and
practices to Vietnam. This resolution is a small token of our gratitude
for the hard work of the 1 million Vietnamese-Americans living in our
country. I am proud to support it.
Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
322, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as
amended, was agreed to.
The title of the concurrent resolution was amended so as to read:
``Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the
sacrifices of individuals who served in the Armed Forces of the former
Republic of Vietnam.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________