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 fol-
lowing 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 com-
mittee concerned 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of veterans of 
the Vietnam war and formally apologize for the treat-
ment 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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•HJ 59 IH 
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 re-
quired 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 cap-
tured 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 oppo-
sition 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 Uni-
versity 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 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. RESOLUTION OF APOLOGY TO VETERANS OF 
THE VIETNAM WAR. 
The United States, acting through Congress— 
(1) recognizes the extraordinary sacrifice of vet-
erans 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; 
(3) on behalf of the American people, issues the 
long-overdue formal apology to veterans of the Viet-
nam war and their families for the mistreatment 
they endured during and after the war; and 
(4) expresses urgent support for increased edu-
cation 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. 
Æ 
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