[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5589-S5590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 778--ACKNOWLEDGING THE COURAGE AND SACRIFICE OF 
VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR AND EXPRESSING REGRET FOR THE MISTREATMENT 
                OF VETERANS RETURNING HOME FROM THE WAR

  Mr. SULLIVAN submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 778

       Whereas members of the Armed Forces of the United States 
     began serving in an advisory role to the Republic of Vietnam 
     in 1955;
       Whereas, in 1965, ground combat units of the Armed Forces 
     of the United States arrived in the Republic of Vietnam to 
     join approximately 23,000 personnel of the Armed Forces who 
     were already present there;
       Whereas, by 1969, the number of such troops reached a peak 
     of over 537,000, including members of the Armed Forces in the 
     region who were supporting the combat operations;
       Whereas, on January 27, 1973, the Agreement on Ending the 
     War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam (commonly known as the 
     ``Paris Peace Accords'') was signed, which required the 
     release of all prisoners of war of the United States held in 
     North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all Armed Forces of the 
     United States from South Vietnam;
       Whereas, on March 29, 1973, the Armed Forces of the United 
     States completed the withdrawal of combat units and combat 
     support units from South Vietnam;
       Whereas, on April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese forces 
     captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, effectively 
     placing South Vietnam under Communist control;
       Whereas more than 58,000 members of the Armed Forces of the 
     United States lost their lives in the Vietnam war, and more 
     than 153,000 members of the Armed Forces of the United States 
     were wounded in Vietnam;
       Whereas many thousands of veterans of the Vietnam war were 
     exposed to Agent Orange and other harmful herbicides during 
     the course of their service, carrying home delayed wounds of 
     toxic exposure at the highest rate of any generation of 
     veterans before;
       Whereas the Vietnam war was an extremely divisive issue in 
     the United States, as a result of certain biased and shameful 
     attacks from some in media and academia, politicians, and 
     many others;
       Whereas some opponents of the war did not limit their 
     opposition to normal political discourse, but engaged in 
     violent protests, including the targeting of Reserve 
     Officers' Training Corps facilities and recruiting stations, 
     and the bombing of the Army Mathematics Research Center at 
     the University of Wisconsin-Madison;
       Whereas members of the Armed Forces who served bravely and 
     faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam war were 
     repeatedly targeted with shameful personal attacks for their 
     service as the result of decisions that were beyond their 
     control; and
       Whereas Vietnam Veterans Day is observed each year on March 
     29, marking the anniversary of the withdrawal of combat 
     troops from Vietnam: Now, therefore, be it

[[Page S5590]]

       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the extraordinary sacrifice of veterans of 
     the Vietnam war and commends them, and their families, for 
     their unwavering and courageous sacrifice to the United 
     States;
       (2) expresses urgent support for increased education in the 
     schools of the United States to better reflect the courage 
     and sacrifice of veterans of the Vietnam war and the lack of 
     support back home;
       (3) urges the President to formally acknowledge the 
     widespread mistreatment of many veterans of the Vietnam war 
     as part of the ongoing Vietnam War Commemoration; and
       (4) expresses regret for the mistreatment of veterans and 
     their families during and after the war.

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