[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 41 (Friday, March 19, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S1780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration and the 
Senate now proceed to S. Res. 451.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 451) expressing support for 
     designation of a ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 451) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 451

       Whereas the Vietnam War was fought in the Republic of South 
     Vietnam from 1961 to 1975, and involved North Vietnamese 
     regular forces and Viet Cong guerrilla forces in armed 
     conflict with United States Armed Forces and the Army of the 
     Republic of Vietnam;
       Whereas the United States Armed Forces became involved in 
     Vietnam because the United States Government wanted to 
     provide direct military support to the Government of South 
     Vietnam to defend itself against the growing Communist threat 
     from North Vietnam;
       Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces began 
     serving in an advisory role to the Government of the Republic 
     of South Vietnam in 1961;
       Whereas, as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on 
     August 2 and 4, 1964, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Gulf 
     of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 88-408), on August 7, 1964, 
     which provided the authority to the President of the United 
     States to prosecute the war against North Vietnam;
       Whereas, in 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat 
     units arrived in Vietnam;
       Whereas, by the end of 1965, there were 80,000 United 
     States troops in Vietnam, and by 1969, a peak of 
     approximately 543,000 troops was reached;
       Whereas, on January 27, 1973, the Treaty of Paris was 
     signed, which required the release of all United States 
     prisoners-of-war held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of 
     all United States Armed Forces from South Vietnam;
       Whereas, on March 30, 1973, the United States Armed Forces 
     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 capitol of South Vietnam, effectively 
     placing South Vietnam under Communist control;
       Whereas more than 58,000 members of the United States Armed 
     Forces lost their lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 
     members of the Armed Forces were wounded;
       Whereas, in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was 
     dedicated in the District of Columbia to commemorate those 
     members of the United States Armed Forces 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 
     United States public to acknowledge and honor the efforts and 
     services of such veterans;
       Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces who 
     served bravely and faithfully for the United States during 
     the Vietnam War were often wrongly criticized for the policy 
     decisions made by 4 presidential administrations in the 
     United States;
       Whereas the establishment of a ``Welcome Home Vietnam 
     Veterans Day'' would be an appropriate way to honor those 
     members of the United States Armed Forces who served in South 
     Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War; 
     and
       Whereas March 30, 2010, would be an appropriate day to 
     establish as ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors and recognizes the contributions of veterans who 
     served in the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam during 
     war and during peace;
       (2) encourages States and local governments to also 
     establish ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day''; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day'' with appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities that--
       (A) provide the appreciation Vietnam War veterans deserve, 
     but did not receive upon returning home from the war;
       (B) demonstrate the resolve that never again shall the 
     Nation disregard and denigrate a generation of veterans;
       (C) promote awareness of the faithful service and 
     contributions of such veterans during their military service 
     as well as to their communities since returning home;
       (D) promote awareness of the importance of entire 
     communities empowering veterans and the families of veterans 
     to readjust to civilian life after military service; and
       (E) promote opportunities for such veterans to assist 
     younger veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan in rehabilitation from wounds, both seen and 
     unseen, and to support the reintegration of younger veterans 
     into civilian life.

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