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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 495 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 495
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and
honoring the United States veterans who served during the conflict.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 10, 2025
Mr. Moran (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Banks, and Mr. Gallego)
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and
honoring the United States veterans who served during the conflict.
Whereas, between October 1955 and May 7, 1975, the Armed Forces of the United
States supported the cause of freedom in South Vietnam, beginning with
the commencement of the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam;
Whereas, on January 12, 1962, the United States carried out its first combat
mission in Vietnam, in support of the Republic of Vietnam against the
communist forces of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong;
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 Armed Forces in the region who were
supporting the combat operations;
Whereas more than 10,000,000 members of the Armed Forces of the United States
served worldwide during the Vietnam War era;
Whereas the members of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in
Vietnam included approximately 10,000 women, who served as nurses,
physicians, air traffic controllers, in military intelligence, in
administrative roles, and in many other capacities;
Whereas 58,281 members of the Armed Forces of the United States lost their lives
in the Vietnam War, more than 300,000 were wounded in Vietnam, and 771
endured the hardships of being prisoners of war, with 113 dying while in
internment;
Whereas 1,545 members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in
Vietnam remain missing and unaccounted for, and the Defense POW/MIA
Accounting Agency (DPAA) continues its diligent efforts to locate,
identify, and repatriate their remains, providing closure to families
and honoring the commitment to leave no one behind;
Whereas significant battles, including the Tet Offensive (1968), the Battle of
Hue (1968), the Battle of Khe Sanh (1968), the Easter Offensive (1972),
and the Battle of Hamburger Hill (1969), exemplify the courage and
commitment to duty of members of the Armed Forces of the United States;
Whereas, throughout the Vietnam War, indigenous forces such as the Hmong,
Montagnard, and Lao guerrillas provided invaluable support to the Armed
Forces of the United States, serving as scouts, fighters, and
intelligence operatives, often at great personal risk to themselves and
their families, and many of those allies and their families have since
sought refuge in the United States;
Whereas, throughout much of the war, American Red Cross volunteers, including
627 young women who were part of the organization's Supplemental
Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, known affectionately as
the ``Donut Dollies,'' volunteered to be sent to the front lines to
support members of the Armed Forces of the United States directly
engaged with the enemy, sharing with military personnel the hardships,
privation, and dangers of life in a war zone;
Whereas the Donut Dollies, building on the legacies of the American Red Cross
volunteers who provided moral support to members of the Armed Forces of
the United States during World War II and the Korean War, traveled an
average of 27,000 miles every month by jeep, truck, airplane, and
helicopter to provide recreation programs for members of the Armed
Forces at 28 SRAO unit locations throughout Vietnam;
Whereas, on January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, officially
ending hostilities between the United States and North Vietnam, leading
to the withdrawal of United States combat forces and the increased
return of American prisoners of war to the United States;
Whereas, from February 12, 1973, to March 29, 1973, Operation Homecoming
transported 591 American military and civilian prisoners home to the
United States;
Whereas, on April 30, 1975, the fall of Saigon marked the final chapter of the
involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War, culminating in the
dramatic and heroic evacuation of United States personnel and thousands
of South Vietnamese allies, a moment forever etched in history as a
testament to the commitment of the United States to those who stood
alongside its forces;
Whereas, in the years following the war, hundreds of thousands of refugees from
Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos fled persecution and hardship under
communist rule in search of freedom and safety, with many finding new
homes and opportunities in the United States, enriching the Nation with
their resilience and contributions to their new communities;
Whereas many returning Vietnam veterans faced mistreatment, discrimination, and
a lack of recognition and appreciation for their service;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the
United States during the Vietnam War were repeatedly targeted with
criticism and disparagement as the result of decisions that were beyond
their control;
Whereas Vietnam Veterans of America, the only congressionally chartered national
organization exclusively dedicated to Vietnam veterans and their
families, was founded in 1978 by Vietnam veterans seeking recognition
and advocacy for their unique needs, growing from modest beginnings into
a respected national institution with more than 600 chapters worldwide,
providing steadfast service, legal assistance, and legislative
leadership to advance the welfare, rights, and dignity of Vietnam
veterans and their communities;
Whereas many thousands of veterans of the Vietnam War were exposed to Agent
Orange and other harmful herbicides during the course of their service,
carrying home delayed wounds of toxic exposure such that Congress passed
the Agent Orange Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-4), leading to the
recognition of Agent Orange as a presumptive hazard and paving the way
for benefits for affected veterans;
Whereas the Agent Orange Act of 1991, and research conducted pursuant to that
law, yielded new presumptions of service connection related to herbicide
exposure and provided a blueprint for Congress and the Department of
Veterans Affairs to address military toxic exposures encountered by
succeeding generations of veterans, culminating in the passage of the
Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address
Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-168) (commonly known as
the ``PACT Act'');
Whereas the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, completed in 1982,
stands as a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives in the
conflict, with its black granite walls inscribed with the names of the
fallen, offering a place of reflection and remembrance for their loved
ones and fellow citizens;
Whereas the Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, DC, dedicated in 1993 as the
first national memorial to female veterans, honors the heroic service
and sacrifices made by the many women who served in Vietnam, often as
medical personnel rendering the final care and comfort to their dying
comrades;
Whereas the thousands of Gold Star families that remember loved ones lost
continue to maintain the legacy of Vietnam veterans who answered the
Nation's call to defend freedom and made the ultimate sacrifice in the
line of duty; and
Whereas The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial, and other community-based replica Walls across the country
provide veterans and their families with opportunities to pay tribute
and find solace: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the end of the
Vietnam War;
(2) honors and expresses profound gratitude to the men and
women of the Armed Forces of the United States who served with
bravery, courage, dedication, sacrifice, and selflessness in
the Vietnam War;
(3) remembers and pays tribute to those who made the
ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War and those who remain
missing in action from that conflict;
(4) commends the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency (DPAA) in its continued mission to bring home the 1,545
members of the Armed Forces of the United States who remain
missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, and urges
DPAA to redouble efforts to bring all of the United States'
fallen sons and daughters home;
(5) acclaims the work of the United States of America
Vietnam War Commemoration for its mission to recognize, thank,
and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service
and sacrifice;
(6) acknowledges the challenges and hardships faced by
Vietnam veterans upon their return home and reaffirms the
Nation's respect and appreciation for their service;
(7) recognizes the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall That
Heals, and other tribute sites as enduring symbols of
remembrance and national gratitude;
(8) commits to ensuring the well-being and support of
Vietnam veterans, particularly those affected by Agent Orange
and herbicide exposure;
(9) underscores the importance of a new spirit of 21st
century cooperation and partnership between former enemies
engaging in diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation;
(10) calls upon the people of the United States to observe
National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29 and remember the
commitment to duty demonstrated by Vietnam veterans;
(11) reaffirms the importance of educating future
generations about the Vietnam War and the sacrifices made by
those who served, ensuring their legacy is never forgotten; and
(12) lauds the Veterans History Project at the Library of
Congress, which continues to gather firsthand accounts and
record the recollections of veterans who served in the Vietnam
War, preserving their stories for future generations of
Americans.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8183; text: CR S8134-8135)
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