[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9538]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM FOR OFFICIAL RECOGNITION 
 OF THE INTERIM REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST 
                    OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS IN VIETNAM

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. ENI F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2014

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest 
appreciation to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for officially 
recognizing the Interim Representative Committee of The Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vietnam, of which I am a member. I thank 
the Politburo, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, President Truong Tan 
Sang, the Fatherland Front, the National Assembly, Foreign Ministry, 
Public Security, and any and all government agencies, especially the 
Committee on Religious Affairs, for sparing no effort to bring this day 
about.
  I would be remiss if I did not mention the efforts and leadership of 
Chairman Pham Dung, Vice Chair Bui Thanh Ha, retired Vice Chair Nguyen 
Thanh Xuan, as well as Director Hoang Thi Thao, and the entire staff of 
the Committee on Religious Affairs.
  I am grateful to H.E. President Nguyen Sinh Hung, Vice President 
Madam Tong Thi Phong, Vice President Madam Nguyen Thi Doan of the 
National Assembly, as well as Vice Chairman Ha Huy Thong of the Foreign 
Committee and all other Members of the National Assembly.
  I thank Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh as well as any and all 
associated with the Foreign Ministry.
  I also express my deepest appreciation to Ambassador Nguyen Quoc 
Cuong, Dr. Luan Thuy Duong, and Mr. An Nguyen at the Embassy of Vietnam 
in the United States for their tireless efforts.
  I also thank officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
Saints, including The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, the 
Asia Area Presidency, as well as local leaders in Vietnam. In 
particular, I thank members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
Saints in Vietnam and abroad.
  I thank all those who have participated in this marvelous work and 
glory--those named in addition to all those who have added their 
efforts and prayers to ours, including those who have gone before us.
  May 30, 2014, the official day of recognition, is a special occasion, 
a sacred occasion. Vietnam is a multi-religious society with 
approximately 25,000 places of worship and about 24 million followers 
of various faiths. In my official capacity as former Chairman and 
current Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on 
Asia and the Pacific, I have attended religious services in diverse 
houses of worship in Vietnam, and did so unannounced. Always, I found 
Vietnam to be a place favorable for religious activities and I thank 
Vietnam for encouraging and protecting the rights of individuals, 
families, and congregations to practice their religions and contribute 
as good parents and good citizens under the law.
  I am very proud of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the work it 
does to protect activities of religious groups, including those of my 
faith. I consider the followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints in Vietnam my brothers and sisters. I feel the same 
about the leaders and officials of Vietnam. With mutual understanding, 
respect and trust, we have walked together to this day of recognition. 
We have walked together with faith in every footstep. And, as we 
journey forward, I am confident we will do so side by side.
  When President Brigham Young led the followers of The Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-day Saints into the Salt Lake valley in 1847, he 
declared: ``This is the right place. Drive on.'' To members of The 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to government and party 
officials in Vietnam, to friends and family, I echo Brigham Young's 
words. Drive on knowing that May 30, 2014 will forevermore be one of 
the best days of my life, and I am sure many others will always cherish 
this day, too.

                          ____________________