Title: Honoring the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged and ultimately had their honorable service restored following events which occurred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This resolution honors the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged and ultimately had their honorable service restored following events that occurred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas, and recognizes the dedication and courage of these individuals.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1105 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1105

  Honoring the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged and 
ultimately had their honorable service restored following events which 
                occurred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 11, 2020

Mr. Vela submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged and 
ultimately had their honorable service restored following events which 
                occurred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas.

Whereas, on July 28, 1866, Congress established six all-Black regiments, known 
        as the Buffalo Soldiers, to help rebuild the country after the Civil War 
        and to patrol the remote western frontier during the Indian Wars and 
        remained active until the Army was desegregated in 1951;
Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers received their name because of the buffalo's fierce 
        bravery and fighting spirit;
Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers fought alongside White regiments in many conflicts 
        and were instrumental in the exploration and settlement of western 
        lands;
Whereas Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to Fort Brown near the United States-
        Mexico border in 1906;
Whereas following the death of a White bartender, 167 men serving in the all-
        Black 25th Infantry Regiment of the Army were dishonorably discharged by 
        President Theodore Roosevelt after being accused of shooting up the city 
        of Brownsville, Texas, and the killing of a White man;
Whereas these Buffalo Soldiers were not given a chance to defend themselves in 
        legal proceedings and there was no evidence of these soldiers committing 
        any crimes;
Whereas the dishonorable discharge of the Buffalo Soldiers led to the loss of 
        their pensions and inability to serve in Federal civil service jobs;
Whereas the members of the 25th Infantry Regiment were accused of this shooting 
        following growing tension between the White residents of Brownsville and 
        the Black soldiers, making this accusation racially charged;
Whereas, in 1972, the Army conducted a new investigation and withdrew the order 
        of 1906, exonerating the Buffalo Soldiers and restoring their records to 
        show that each left military service with an honorable discharge; and
Whereas only one out of 167 Buffalo Soldiers falsely accused was alive by the 
        time the original 1906 order was reversed, and no action was taken to 
        provide compensation to their descendants: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors the Buffalo Soldiers who were dishonorably 
        discharged and ultimately had their honorable service restored 
        following events which occurred in 1906 in Brownsville, Texas;
            (2) recognizes the dedication and courage of the Buffalo 
        Soldiers serving in South Texas, across the country, and around 
        the world; and
            (3) encourages all States to include in their educational 
        curricula the history and contributions of the Buffalo 
        Soldiers.
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