[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 104 (Thursday, June 4, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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     SENATE RESOLUTION 607--RECOGNIZING THAT IN THE 25 YEARS SINCE 
NORMALIZING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM AND 
 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE WORKED TOWARD INCREASED STABILITY, 
 PROSPERITY, AND PEACE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, AND EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF 
  THE SENATE THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN A STRONG, 
       RELIABLE, AND ACTIVE PARTNER IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION

  Mr. GARDNER (for himself and Mr. Markey) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 607

       Whereas cooperation between the Governments and people of 
     the United States and Vietnam can help realize their common 
     goals of a peaceful, prosperous, and open Indo-Pacific rooted 
     in a rule-based order that promotes security, opportunity, 
     and respect for sovereignty;
       Whereas Vietnam is serving as the 2020 Chair for the 
     Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) under the 
     theme of ``Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN'', and will co-chair 
     the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit when it is rescheduled from the 
     original planned March 14, 2020 date;
       Whereas Vietnam has demonstrated a willingness to stand up 
     for freedom of navigation and international law in the South 
     China Sea and opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation 
     on these shared goals;
       Whereas Vietnam deployed its first military officers to 
     United Nations peacekeeping operations in 2014, and 
     contributed a field hospital to United Nations peacekeeping 
     operations in South Sudan in 2018;
       Whereas both countries have sought to assist each other in 
     accounting for the over 1,200 Americans and as many as 
     300,000 Vietnamese still missing from the Vietnam War;
       Whereas the United States Government has worked with the 
     Government of Vietnam to remove unexploded ordnance and to 
     treat victims maimed by it through funding under the Leahy 
     War Victims Fund and the Department of State, Foreign 
     Operations, and Related Programs Act, 2019 (division F of 
     Public Law 116-6), including $15,000,000 for humanitarian 
     demining operations as well as United States Agency for 
     International Development (USAID) programs;
       Whereas the United States Government has completed the 
     cleanup of dioxin at Da Nang airport, and is working with the 
     Government of Vietnam of the cleanup of Bien Hoa airport;
       Whereas the United States Government has assisted the 
     Government of Vietnam in strengthening its maritime 
     capabilities, including by providing coast guard vessels and 
     assisting the Government of Vietnam in strengthening its 
     maritime domain awareness;
       Whereas the United States Government remains committed to 
     working with the Government of Vietnam on its compliance with 
     international commitments and obligations to protect 
     internationally recognized human rights and fundamental 
     freedoms, including freedom of religion, expression, the 
     press, and assembly, in order to advance the fundamental 
     dignity of all people, a key to maintaining stability, 
     promoting economic growth, and strengthening good governance;
       Whereas, in the 25 years since the United States and 
     Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations, the people of 
     Vietnam have benefited from greater prosperity and 
     integration into the global economy;
       Whereas the United States and Vietnam signed a bilateral 
     trade agreement in July 2000, and granted one another 
     permanent normal trade relations in 2008, ushering in a more 
     than tenfold increase in trade flows in both directions over 
     the past 20 years, exceeding $77,000,000,000 in 2019;
       Whereas the Governments of the United States and Vietnam 
     cooperate on a range of public health issues, particularly 
     combating HIV-AIDS under the United States President's 
     Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, and more 
     broadly on health, governance, education, infrastructure, and 
     environmental issues through the Lower Mekong Initiative;
       Whereas, in 2020, Vietnam celebrates 75 years since 
     declaring independence;
       Whereas more than 1,800,000 Vietnamese-Americans have made 
     contributions to the United States in a variety of fields 
     ranging from law to science to defense and the arts;
       Whereas the United States hosts nearly 30,000 young 
     Vietnamese students, the 6th largest group of international 
     students studying at United States universities, contributing 
     $1,000,000,000 annually to the United States economy;
       Whereas bilateral cooperation transformed debts of the 
     former South Vietnamese government to the United States into 
     Fulbright University Vietnam, Vietnam's first independent, 
     not-for-profit university; and
       Whereas sister city relationships link our citizens in--
       (1) Seattle, Washington and Haiphong;
       (2) Madison, Wisconsin and Bac Giang;
       (3) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Da Nang;
       (4) San Francisco, California and Ho Chi Minh City;
       (5) Oakland, California and Da Nang;
       (6) Angel Fire, New Mexico and Quang Tri Town;
       (7) New Haven, Connecticut and Hue;
       (8) Maryland State, Maryland and Ninh Thuan Province; and
       (9) Newport Beach, California and Vung Tau Province 
     (Friendship City): Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms the importance of the United States-Vietnam 
     comprehensive partnership, including the full implementation 
     of provisions of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 
     (Public Law 115-409) with regard to elevating the United 
     States relationship with Vietnam;
       (2) welcomes Vietnam's leadership in 2020 as ASEAN Chair in 
     cooperation with its ASEAN partners, especially as ASEAN and 
     the People's Republic of China negotiate a Code of Conduct;
       (3) welcomes Vietnam playing a productive role as a member 
     of the United Nations Security Council during its 2020-2021 
     term;
       (4) reiterates Congress' findings in section 401 of the 
     Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409; 
     132 Stat. 5407) that--
       (A) the promotion of human rights and respect for 
     democratic values in the Indo-Pacific region is in the United 
     States' national security interest;
       (B) continued support for human rights, democratic values, 
     and good governance is critical to a successful United States 
     diplomatic strategy in the Indo-Pacific;
       (C) strong support for human rights and democracy in the 
     Indo-Pacific region is critical to efforts to reduce poverty, 
     build rule of law, combat corruption, reduce the allure of 
     extremism, and promote economic growth; and
       (D) there are serious concerns with the rule of law and 
     civil liberties in Vietnam, which has been identified by 
     Freedom House as ``Not Free'';
       (5) reaffirms that it is important that Vietnam's rights 
     and interests under international law, regardless of size, 
     power, and military capabilities, are respected; and
       (6) appreciates Vietnam's ongoing cooperation to account 
     for the 1,246 United States service members who remain 
     unaccounted for since the Vietnam War.

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