119-hjres19

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 19 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. J. RES. 19

To acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of veterans of the Vietnam war 
 and formally apologize for the treatment they received upon returning 
 home.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 15, 2025

 Mr. Crenshaw (for himself, Mr. Zinke, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Valadao, 
 Mrs. Cammack, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Ciscomani, Ms. De La 
 Cruz, Mr. Carey, and Mr. Babin) submitted the following joint 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
 and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 JOINT RESOLUTION

To acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of veterans of the Vietnam war 
 and formally apologize for the treatment they received upon returning 
 home.

Whereas members of the Armed Forces of the United States began serving in an 
 advisory role to the Government of South 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 approximately 
 549,500, 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 Viet-Nam (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 300,000 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 back home in the United 
 States as a result of biased and shameful attacks from the media, 
 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, recruiting 
 stations, and the bombing of the Army Math 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 attacks as the result of decisions that were beyond their 
 control; and
Whereas Vietnam Veterans Day will be observed on March 29, 2025, which marks the 
 52d anniversary of the withdrawal of combat troops from Vietnam: Now, 
 therefore, be it
 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the United States, acting 
through Congress--

    (1) recognizes the extraordinary sacrifice of veterans of 
 the Vietnam war and commends them for their unwavering and 
 courageous sacrifice to our Nation;

    (2) urges the President of the United States to formally 
 acknowledge the widespread mistreatment of veterans of the 
 Vietnam war as part of the ongoing Vietnam War Commemoration;

    (3) on behalf of the American people, issues the long-
 overdue formal apology to veterans of the Vietnam war and their 
 families for the mistreatment they endured during and after the 
 war; and

    (4) expresses urgent support for increased education in our 
 Nation's schools to better reflect the courage and sacrifice of 
 veterans of the Vietnam war and the lack of support back home.
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