A resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement and the many contributions and sacrifices of Southeast Asian Americans to the United States.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 542 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 542

     Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugee 
  resettlement and the many contributions and sacrifices of Southeast 
                 Asian Americans to the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 11, 2025

   Ms. Hirono (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Kim, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Schiff, 
  Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following resolution; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugee 
  resettlement and the many contributions and sacrifices of Southeast 
                 Asian Americans to the United States.

Whereas April 17, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Khmer 
        Rouge's devastating reign in Cambodia, April 30, 2025, marks the 50th 
        anniversary of the fall of Saigon, December 2, 2025, marks the 50th 
        anniversary of the abolition of the Lao monarchy, and May 1, 2025, marks 
        the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the evacuation of Hmong, Lao, 
        and other Lao ethnic minorities from Laos;
Whereas 2025 commemorates the 50th year of the beginning of the resettlement of 
        Southeast Asian refugees to the United States;
Whereas Southeast Asian American refugees and their descendants comprise more 
        than 3,000,000 individuals in the United States, including Cham, Hmong, 
        Khmer, Khmer Kampuchea Krom, Khmer Loeu, Khmu, Lahu, Lao, Iu Mien, 
        Montagnards, Phutai, Pnong, Tai Dam, Tai Deng, Tai Lue, Vietnamese, and 
        ethnic Chinese with Southeast Asian heritage;
Whereas the Vietnamese from South Vietnam allied with the United States in 
        opposition to the expansion of communist North Vietnam;
Whereas tens of thousands of Vietnamese who served alongside the United States 
        sought refuge in the United States after the fall of Saigon on April 30, 
        1975, and hundreds of thousands more Vietnamese arrived in the United 
        States in the following decades to escape persecution and political 
        oppression;
Whereas the Central Intelligence Agency and other Federal agencies enlisted the 
        Hmong, Lao, and Laotian ethnic groups in Laos as allies to aid United 
        States forces in Southeast Asia, waging a 13-year covert operation 
        called the ``Secret Wars'' against the Pathet Lao, Viet Cong, and 
        Northern Vietnamese Army;
Whereas thousands of Cambodians assisted United States forces during United 
        States operations in Cambodia, including Operation Menu;
Whereas approximately 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 Cambodians were murdered during the 
        Khmer Rouge genocide between 1975 and 1979;
Whereas more than 3,000,000 individuals were displaced from Cambodia, Laos, and 
        Vietnam due to war, conflict, and genocide;
Whereas, between 1975 and the mid-2000s, the United States received more than 
        1,200,000 Southeast Asians escaping the aftermath of the Vietnam war, 
        persecution in Laos and Vietnam, and the Khmer Rouge genocide in 
        Cambodia;
Whereas, in 1975, Washington State Governor Daniel J. Evans was the first 
        governor to welcome refugees from Vietnam to the United States through a 
        program designed to resettle Vietnamese refugees;
Whereas, while the resettlement of Southeast Asian refugees throughout the 
        United States provided new opportunities, many individuals and families 
        encountered significant challenges due to lack of financial resources, 
        comprehensive support, and language barriers;
Whereas, even after 50 years, many Southeast Asian Americans still face 
        economic, educational, and linguistic barriers in the United States;
Whereas, as survivors of war and genocide, Southeast Asian Americans still face 
        unique health disparities, including higher rates of physical, mental, 
        and chronic health challenges, including more than 60 percent of 
        Cambodian refugees in the United States and a significant number of 
        other Southeast Asian Americans who continue to experience post-
        traumatic stress disorder;
Whereas, as children of the survivors of war and genocide, first- and second-
        generation Southeast Asian Americans have intergenerational, compounded 
        trauma that has created poor mental health conditions, educational 
        barriers, and immigration challenges, including some with removal 
        orders;
Whereas limited English proficiency rates for Southeast Asian Americans are 
        between 40 and 50 percent, and for elders, the rate of limited English 
        proficiency is as high as 90 percent;
Whereas, despite many challenges they have faced in the United States, Southeast 
        Asian Americans have thrived and contributed greatly to the economic, 
        educational, military, political, and social culture of the United 
        States since their resettlement;
Whereas Southeast Asian Americans serve at every level of United States 
        Government, including in Congress;
Whereas Southeast Asian American communities have established vibrant cultural 
        centers throughout every region across the United States; and
Whereas Southeast Asian Americans have strengthened the fabric of this Nation 
        through their resilience, hard work, and cultural richness by enhancing 
        our communities, enriching our economy, and helping build a more vibrant 
        and resilient country for all: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the 50-year anniversary of the beginning 
        of the large-scale Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the 
        United States;
            (2) honors the sacrifices made by Southeast Asian American 
        communities on behalf of the United States, including all those 
        who served and who gave their lives;
            (3) recognizes the contributions of Southeast Asian 
        Americans to the economic, military, political, and social 
        culture of the United States;
            (4) continues to pursue comprehensive policies that ensure 
        opportunities for Southeast Asian American communities, 
        including in education and health; and
            (5) affirms the United States commitment to embracing and 
        assisting refugees, immigrants, and naturalized United States 
        citizens in our communities.
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