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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 103 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>

115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 103

        Designating March 29, 2017, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 29, 2017

    Mr. Burr (for himself and Mr. Manchin) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
        Designating March 29, 2017, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''.

Whereas the Vietnam War was fought in the Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975 
        and involved regular forces from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and 
        Viet Cong guerrilla forces in armed conflict with the United States 
        Armed Forces, the armed forces of allies of the United States, and the 
        armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas the United States Armed Forces became involved in Vietnam because the 
        United States Government wanted to provide direct support by the Armed 
        Forces to the Government of the Republic of Vietnam to defend against 
        the growing threat of Communism from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in an advisory 
        role to the Government of South Vietnam in 1955;
Whereas as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2 and 4, 1964, 
        Congress overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 
        88-408) on August 7, 1964, which provided to the President of the United 
        States the authority to use armed force to assist the Republic of 
        Vietnam in the defense of its freedom against the Democratic Republic of 
        Vietnam;
Whereas, in 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat units arrived in the 
        Republic of Vietnam to join an already present 23,000 United States 
        Armed Forces personnel;
Whereas, by September 1965, there were between 150,000 and 190,000 United States 
        Armed Forces troops in Vietnam, and by 1969, a peak number of United 
        States Armed Forces troops in Vietnam of approximately 549,500 troops 
        was reached, including United States Armed Forces members supporting the 
        combat operations from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and aboard Navy 
        vessels;
Whereas, on January 27, 1973, the Agreement on Ending the War in Vietnam and 
        Restoring Peace (commonly known as the ``Paris Peace Accords'') was 
        signed, which required the release of all United States prisoners-of-war 
        held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all United States Armed 
        Forces from South Vietnam;
Whereas, on March 29, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed the 
        withdrawal of combat units and combat support units from South Vietnam;
Whereas, on April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese regular forces captured Saigon, the 
        capital of South Vietnam, effectively placing South Vietnam under 
        Communist control;
Whereas more than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their 
        lives in the Vietnam War, and more than 300,000 members of the United 
        States Armed Forces were wounded in Vietnam;
Whereas, in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in the District of 
        Columbia to commemorate the members of the United States Armed Forces 
        who died or were declared missing-in-action in Vietnam;
Whereas the Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the people of the 
        United States and a conflict that caused a generation of veterans to 
        wait too long for the United States public to acknowledge and honor the 
        efforts and services of those veterans;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and 
        faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam War were often 
        wrongly criticized for the decisions of policymakers that were beyond 
        the control of those members of the United States Armed Forces; and
Whereas designating March 29, 2017, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day'' would be an 
        appropriate way to honor the members of the United States Armed Forces 
        who served in South Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia during the 
        Vietnam War: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates March 29, 2017, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day'';
            (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of veterans who 
        served in the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam or in 
        support of operations in Vietnam during war and during peace;
            (3) encourages States and local governments to designate 
        March 29, 2017, as ``Vietnam Veterans Day''; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        Vietnam Veterans Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities 
        that--
                    (A) provide the appreciation that veterans of the 
                Vietnam War deserve;
                    (B) demonstrate the resolve that the people of the 
                United States shall never forget the sacrifices and 
                service of a generation of veterans who served in the 
                Vietnam War;
                    (C) promote awareness of the faithful service and 
                contributions of the veterans of the Vietnam War--
                            (i) during service in the United States 
                        Armed Forces; and
                            (ii) to the communities of the veterans 
                        since returning home;
                    (D) promote awareness of the importance of entire 
                communities empowering veterans and the families of 
                veterans in helping the veterans readjust to civilian 
                life after service in the United States Armed Forces; 
                and
                    (E) promote opportunities for veterans of the 
                Vietnam War--
                            (i) to assist younger veterans returning 
                        from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 
                        rehabilitation from wounds, both seen and 
                        unseen; and
                            (ii) to support the reintegration of 
                        younger veterans into civilian life.
                                 <all>
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