[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18063]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was 
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-146. A resolution adopted by the Legislature of the 
     State of California urging Congress to pass House Resolution 
     5879, which would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     to inter in national cemeteries individuals who served in 
     combat support of the Armed Services of the United States in 
     the Kingdom of Laos from 1961 to 1975; to the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs.

                        House Resolution No. 33

       Whereas, from 1961 to 1975, during the Vietnam War, the 
     United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ran a covert 
     counterinsurgency operation in Laos that became known as the 
     Secret War; and
       Whereas, the CIA recruited Hmong individuals from Laos to 
     help fight the communists; and
       Whereas, the Hmong soldiers fought shoulder-to-shoulder 
     with American soldiers; and
       Whereas, the Hmong were recruited initially to shield Laos 
     from communist takeover, and were later instructed to 
     interdict convoys of supplies on the Ho Chi Minh Trail; and
       Whereas, these young Hmong earned a reputation as capable, 
     loyal, and brave fighters, and their service in combat proved 
     to match the best guerrilla fighters in the world; and
       Whereas, many Hmong soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice in 
     service to our country, and our nation owes a debt of 
     gratitude to them; and
       Whereas, these Hmong soldiers played an important and 
     unique role in United States military history; and
       Whereas, about 130,000 ethnic Hmong moved to the United 
     States after the 1975 communist takeover as political 
     refugees; and
       Whereas, it is fitting that the service of Hmong veterans 
     be honored with burial benefits in our national cemeteries; 
     and
       Whereas, House Resolution 5879 would authorize the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries 
     individuals who served in combat support of the Armed 
     Services of the United States in the Kingdom of Laos from 
     1961 to 1975: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That 
     the Assembly of the State of California respectfully requests 
     the Congress of the United States to pass, and the President 
     to sign, House Resolution 5879, which would authorize the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries 
     individuals who served in combat support of the Armed 
     Services of the United States in the Kingdom of Laos from 
     1961 to 1975; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit 
     copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President 
     of the United States, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the President pro Tempore of the United 
     States Senate, and each Senator and Representative from 
     California in the Congress of the United States.

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