[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5968-H5969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1231) supporting the goals and ideals of Vietnam 
Veterans Day and calling on the American people to recognize such a 
day.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1231

       Whereas the Vietnam War was the longest military conflict 
     in United States history;
       Whereas more than 3,000,000 Americans served in Southeast 
     Asia during the Vietnam War;
       Whereas more than 58,000 Americans lost their lives 
     defending the Nation's freedom during the Vietnam conflict;
       Whereas 304,000 additional Americans were wounded during 
     the war;
       Whereas on March 29, 1973, the last remaining members of 
     the United States Armed Forces withdrew from Vietnam; and
       Whereas the United States does not have a national day of 
     recognition specifically for Vietnam veterans: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day; 
     and
       (2) calls on the American people to recognize such a day to 
     remember those men and women who sacrificed their lives 
     defending the Nation in the Vietnam conflict, to recognize 
     the prisoners of war and those members of the Armed Forces 
     who are missing in action, and to honor all Vietnam veterans 
     who served the Nation faithfully to protect its freedom.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  This resolution, 1231, supports the goals and ideals of Vietnam 
Veterans Day. I don't think we have to remind this body that the 
Vietnam war was a very divisive time in this country. One of the 
lessons that we should draw from Vietnam is that although we may 
disagree about a war, as we do about the current one in Iraq, we must 
never, never disagree about the importance of honoring the service and 
sacrifice of the men and women who serve our Nation. We must never 
confuse the war with the warrior. We must never, never forget the 
warrior.
  This war that we are engaging in Iraq is only exceeded in its length 
by America in the Vietnamese war, the longest conflict in our history. 
More than 3 million Americans served in southeast Asia. More than 
58,000 Americans lost their lives on the battlefield. Over 300,000 
Americans were wounded, and that was at the time of the war itself. We 
know because we did not honor these heroes when they came home and we 
did not have the resources in place, especially with regard to mental 
health, that we inflicted a terrible, terrible future on many of those 
soldiers.
  Half of the homeless on the street tonight are Vietnam veterans. We 
think that there are more suicides by Vietnam veterans than who died on 
the original battlefield. That's a terrible, terrible blot on America 
for not honoring our veterans. And certainly we cannot make the same 
mistake again with those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
  So we have a Vietnam memorial. We must always remember the service 
and sacrifices. A day of remembrance is a particularly fitting way to 
remember the painful lessons learned. But we could do some more 
material things, too, and I hope that the cooperation and goodwill 
shown by my ranking member at all times will make sure that we up the 
budget, for example, to deal with the homeless veterans on the street--
most of them are Vietnam veterans--that we grant their Agent Orange 
claims that they have fought for for decades, that we provide some 
security for them and increase the budget that is aimed at their future 
as citizens in this Nation.
  So yes, let us pass this resolution. But let us move on in the 
context of the budget and in the context of other legislation to really 
honor these warriors who, when they came home, did not get that honor.
  I will reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Klein of Florida). The gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Buyer) is recognized.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, it looks like ``buyer'' but it's pronounced 
BOO-yer. It comes from Alsace-Lorraine, along the Rhine, and it was 
pronounced de BOO-yea. You just Americanized my name by calling me 
``Buyer.'' We sort of Americanized de Buyer as referring to it as BOO-
yer. You are now the second Speaker pro tem who has taken the well who 
has done so.
  Perhaps I need to introduce myself to you. So for that, I apologize.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair apologizes and recognizes the 
gentlemen from Indiana.

                              {time}  1845

  Mr. BUYER. I rise in support of House Resolution 1231, a bill which 
would support the goals and ideals of Vietnam Veterans Day and calls 
upon the American people to recognize such a day. I thank my colleague, 
Mr. Shuler of North Carolina, for his efforts in bringing the bill to 
the House floor.
  The American participation in the conflict of Vietnam began in March 
1959 and continued until March 29, 1973, when the last remaining 
members of the United States Armed Forces were withdrawn from Vietnam. 
The conflict itself continued until April 30, 1975. During this 
conflict, considered the longest military conflict in U.S. history, 
over 3 million veterans answered their Nation's call to duty. More than 
58,000 servicemembers lost their lives, and over 300,000 were wounded. 
This bill would designate for the first time a national day to 
recognize Vietnam veterans and commend them for their service to a 
grateful Nation.
  While this resolution is belated, it reflects a better perspective on 
those who served in an unpopular war and who came home to indifference 
or outright hostility. That was wrong, and today, we acknowledge that 
our Vietnam veterans deserved much better.
  Now, we recognize also that there are some that perhaps did not honor 
these veterans in the way in which they should have been, but I also 
want to recognize there were many people in the country that did 
recognize their service and honor them.
  My grandfather was a World War I veteran who was a Legion commander 
of the post in Francesville, Indiana. My father then later became that 
very same commander. And I remember, even as a young man, the 
discussions about Vietnam and the support. And I remember a young man 
who even baby-sat for the four kids and later went on to Vietnam, and I 
remember the discussions.
  But I came from a small town, and I don't remember the hostilities. I 
remember seeing war protesters on TV, and I remember the term 
``hippy.'' I didn't even know what that meant, and I remembered all 
these things happening as a young man in the 1960s and early 1970s. And 
it was challenging for me because I didn't share that perspective. I 
wasn't brought up in a family that had the perspective of public 
protest and war protesting and those of whom would spat upon someone in 
uniform and treat them in outward disgrace.
  I never understood that. I could never get there to understand that. 
I understand today that those of whom may have done that in the follies 
of their youth are filled with guilt, and I'm glad that they are 
overcoming those types of feelings.
  And I will embrace what the chairman had just said, when he said 
never confuse the war with the warrior. And I think he's absolutely 
right. And so the country had learned some painful lessons with regard 
to the Vietnam War, and so if you've got challenges, don't take them 
out on the warrior, and so I embrace the chairman's remarks.
  I was trained as a young ROTC cadet at The Citadel by Vietnam 
veterans, and I hold the Vietnam veteran in pretty high self-esteem 
because of the challenge that they went through in a guerrilla war. You 
know, they never lost a battle. Our soldiers didn't lose a battle, but 
they ended up losing a war. And we

[[Page H5969]]

learned a lot, also as a military force, in guerrilla tactics. And a 
lot of that is coming home to roost here in the successes that General 
Petraeus had also used here with regard to the surge.
  In the war in which I had served in, the first Gulf war, that war, 
the first Gulf war, its success came from the leadership of the Vietnam 
veteran. Those Vietnam veterans were, in fact, the senior NCOs, and 
they were the general officers and the senior colonels, and they knew 
the mistakes of Vietnam. They also knew that in Vietnam it was as soon 
as they hit the ground, they wanted to know when their rotation would 
end, when do they get to go home. And so when we went in the first Gulf 
war, it was nothing about rotation. It was all about we're here to do a 
job, we do the job and get to go home.
  So that leadership, the senior leadership from Vietnam, had a great 
impact upon our military heritage and our legacy.
  And so acknowledging the service and the honored sacrifice of the 
Vietnam veterans, I want to thank the chairman for doing that. I urge 
my colleagues to support this bill.
  I yield back my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on House Resolution 1231.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. I urge my colleagues to join our committee unanimously to 
support House Resolution 1231.
  Mr. SHULER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the millions 
of veterans who served our country during the Vietnam War.
  March 29th, 1973 marked the official departure of the last American 
troops in Vietnam.
  During the longest military conflict in U.S. history, over 3 million 
Americans served in Southeast Asia. Over 58,000 Americans lost their 
lives and 304,000 additional Americans were wounded.
  Those who fought to preserve our freedom in Vietnam have never 
received the hero's welcome they richly deserve.
  Derrell Maxwell and the Veterans of Chapter 994 of Vietnam Veterans 
of America in Franklin, North Carolina recently approached me with an 
idea. They wanted Congress to commemorate March 29th as Vietnam 
Veterans Day.
  I was proud to work with Chairman Filner to get the full House of 
Representatives on record in support of this idea. House Resolution 
1231 calls on all Americans to take time each March 29th to remember 
all of the service members who defended our Nation in Vietnam.
  We honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those held captive or 
missing in action, and those who sustained wounds, both seen and 
unseen. To all Vietnam veterans, including my constituents in Western 
North Carolina and those currently serving in this body, I offer my 
deepest thanks for your service to our Nation.
  I urge passage of this resolution.
  Mr. FILNER. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1231.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________