[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 81 (Thursday, May 12, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4870-H4871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING WALTER MONDALE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Mrs. Murphy) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Madam Speaker, the memorial service for 
former Vice President Walter Mondale was held last week.
  Unbeknownst to him, Mondale had a major impact on my life and on the 
lives of other refugees fleeing violence and oppression in Southeast 
Asia. The moral courage he displayed then should influence and inspire 
world leaders now as we confront a new refugee crisis spawned by 
Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
  The Carter-Mondale administration took office in 1977 in the 
aftermath of the end of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war. 
Because my parents had worked with American and South Vietnamese forces 
during the war, they faced persecution by the communist government that 
had taken over.
  In 1979, we were finally able to escape by boat. Unfortunately for 
us, we ran out of fuel in international waters. But, fortunately, a 
U.S. Navy ship responded to our distress call, and the sailors gave us 
the fuel and supplies we needed to reach a Malaysian refugee camp. We 
were the beneficiaries of American power and generosity.
  My family's physical journey from Vietnam to America and our 
emotional journey from darkness to light was only possible because of 
policy decisions made by this Nation's leaders.
  After Saigon fell to communist forces in 1975, President Ford 
permitted about 130,000 South Vietnamese citizens into the United 
States. But after that, America's gates were essentially closed to 
refugees from Southeast Asia, even though the situation on the ground 
continued to deteriorate.
  Former U.S. allies were being sent to what was called reeducation 
camps. They were essentially hard labor camps, and many of them didn't 
survive.
  When Carter and Mondale entered the White House, many Vietnamese 
families, including mine, were taking their chances on the high seas. 
We were collectively known as the Vietnamese boat people. There was 
debate within the U.S. Government about what to do. Some policymakers 
thought America had done enough. Others believed this country could do 
more. Carter and Mondale ultimately sided with the advocates for 
additional action, even though the weight of public opinion was against 
them.
  Mondale chaired a meeting during which he grew impatient with 
officials from the Defense and State departments. ``Are you telling me 
that we have thousands of people drowning in the open sea, and we have 
the 7th Fleet right there, and we can't help them?'' he asked.
  Although some Navy officials were reluctant to use American ships to 
rescue refugees, Mondale overruled them, and the Navy soon came to 
cherish their humanitarian role. As one ship commander involved in a 
rescue operation told Mondale: ``I thought it would demoralize my 
sailors, but I was dead wrong. It's going to make a difference to the 
way those people think about America. Because when their life was at 
risk, they saw this ship with an American flag come up and these young 
guys go down and pick them up . . . It's hard to stay mad at a policy 
like that.''
  Of course, saving refugees was only half the battle. Refugees also 
needed to find countries willing to accept them. Again, Mondale led the 
country and the world.
  In July 1979, Carter sent Mondale to Geneva to address a U.N. 
conference where Mondale delivered an eloquent and effective speech. He 
invoked the inadequate efforts taken by the international community to 
assist European Jews fleeing Nazi Germany. In that case, the 
consequences of inaction were the death camps.

[[Page H4871]]

  ``Let us not re-enact their error,'' he told the delegates. ``Let us 
not be the heirs to their shame. . . .
  ``We face a world problem. Let us fashion a world solution.
  ``History will not forgive us if we fail. History will not forget us 
if we succeed.''
  Mondale's speech prompted a standing ovation. More importantly, it 
prompted many nations to increase the number of refugees they accepted.
  The record is clear. The only reason my family and families like ours 
were given sanctuary and opportunity in America was because of leaders 
like Mondale, who chose to do what was morally right over what was 
politically popular.
  While history does not repeat itself, it does rhyme. Today, a new 
refugee crisis has emerged. Millions of families have fled Ukraine in 
the face of Russian savagery. To date, the response from the 
international community has mostly been in the mold of Mondale. World 
leaders have spent political and financial capital to help their fellow 
human beings.
  We must continue to meet the moral moment. We must follow the Mondale 
model.
  Thank God for Walter Mondale. Rest in peace, Mr. Vice President.

                          ____________________