IA 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 59 

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 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 

Mr. CRENSHAW (for himself and Mr. SMITH of Missouri) submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ 

Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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 


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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 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; and 

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 


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the result of decisions that were beyond their control: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. RESOLUTION OF APOLOGY TO VETERANS OF 

4 THE VIETNAM WAR. 

5 The United States, acting through Congress— 

6 (1) recognizes the extraordinary sacrifice of vet7 erans of the Vietnam war and commends them for 

8 their unwavering and courageous sacrifice to our 

9 Nation; 

10 (2) urges the President of the United States to 

11 formally acknowledge the widespread mistreatment 

12 of veterans of the Vietnam war; 

13 (3) on behalf of the American people, issues the 

14 long-overdue formal apology to veterans of the Viet15 nam war and their families for the mistreatment 

16 they endured during and after the war; and 

17 (4) expresses urgent support for increased edu18 cation in our Nation’s schools to better reflect the 

19 courage and sacrifice of veterans of the Vietnam war 

20 and the lack of support back home. 

Æ 


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