IV

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 278

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding United States policy towards

Vietnam.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AUGUST 5, 1994

Mr. ACKERMAN (for himself and Mr. SKAGGS) submitted the following

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding United

States policy towards Vietnam.

Whereas the President has lifted the 30-year-old trade embargo against Vietnam in the belief that doing so is the

‘‘best way’’ to ensure progress in resolving the fate of

Americans missing since the conflict in Vietnam;

Whereas the period of the Vietnam conflict and its aftermath

was one of the most distressing and painful periods in

our Nation’s history;

Whereas questions remain about the fate of several hundred

Americans missing in action;

Whereas, on July 2, 1993, President Clinton stated that further steps in United States-Vietnam relations would be
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based on ‘‘tangible progress’’ towards the fullest possible

accounting of those missing in action;

Whereas such ‘‘tangible progress’’ depends on further efforts

by the Government of Vietnam in the 4 key areas outlined by the President, including the recovery and repatriation of American remains, continued resolution of discrepancy cases, further assistance in implementing trilateral investigations with Laos, and accelerated efforts

to provide all POW/MIA-related documents;

Whereas the Congress deeply empathizes with the families

and friends of the missing American servicemen;

Whereas we owe nothing less than the ‘‘fullest possible accounting’’ to these men and their families;

Whereas Vietnam’s criminal law is used to punish nonviolent

advocates of political pluralism, through charges such as

‘‘attempting to overthrow the people’s government’’ or

‘‘antisocialist propaganda’’;

Whereas the end of the Cold War provides an unprecedented

opportunity for democratic reform and improvements in

human rights throughout the world;

Whereas recent economic reforms and initiatives undertaken

by the Government of Vietnam can best be encouraged

and built upon through political liberalization;

Whereas the interests of the United States and the people of

Vietnam, and the international community would best be

served by having a friendly and democratic government

in Vietnam; and

Whereas greater respect for internationally recognized human

rights and a peaceful transition to democracy in Vietnam

would greatly reduce the threat of instability in South-
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east Asia and enable the creation of a free-market economy in Vietnam: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) progress towards the ‘‘fullest possible ac4 counting’’ for the Americans missing and unac5 counted for remains central to our Nation’s foreign

6 policy toward Vietnam;

7 (2) the ‘‘fullest possible accounting’’ of our

8 missing must remain the index by which further

9 progress in relations must be judged;

10 (3) the primary functions of the United States

11 Government liaison office in Vietnam should be—

12 (A) to facilitate efforts to achieve the ‘‘full13 est possible accounting’’, and

14 (B) to establish a section within that office

15 to assist families and friends of those missing

16 American servicemen in their efforts to ascer17 tain the status of their loved ones;

18 (4) the United States should support the proc19 ess of nonviolent democratic reform in Vietnam in20 cluding the goal of free and fair elections; and

21 (5) the United States should increase its sup22 port for Voice of America programming in Vietnam.

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