SJR 5, as introduced, Nguyen. Vietnam: humanitarian resettlement.
This measure would urge Congress and the President of the United States to expand the Humanitarian Resettlement Program to allow disabled veteran officers of the South Vietnamese Army currently living in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to enter the United States.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, The Vietnamese-American community plays an
2important role in the social, cultural, and economic landscape of
3the State of California and the United States; and
4WHEREAS, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s human rights
5violations and corrupt judicial system have resulted in the
6incarceration of peaceful dissidents without due process; and
7WHEREAS, Despite the renewal of diplomatic relations between
8the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1995,
9and the launching of the United States-Vietnam Comprehensive
10Partnership in July 2013, significant human rights violations
11continue to persist; and
12WHEREAS, The Global Network for Rights and Development’s
132014 International Human Rights Rank Indicator ranks the Socialist
14Republic of Vietnam as one of the 15 countries who are the worst
15offenders of human rights in the world; and
P2 1WHEREAS, The United States government and the American
2people have a commitment to assisting individuals that fought as
3allies in the Vietnam War who continue to face persecution and
4threats from the Communist government of the Socialist Republic
5of Vietnam; and
6WHEREAS, The veterans of the South Vietnamese Army, also
7known as the Quân Lực Việt Nam Cộng Hòa, showed their
8commitment to the United States by fighting alongside the United
9States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and have suffered
10greatly since April 30, 1975; and
11WHEREAS, The Humanitarian Resettlement Program, also
12known as the Orderly Departure Program, has allowed for the
13resettlement to the United States of former reeducation center
14detainees, former Vietnamese employees of the United States
15government, and former Vietnamese employees of private
16American companies and organizations prior to April 30, 1975;
17and
18WHEREAS, Disabled veterans of the South Vietnamese Army,
19also known as the Quân Lực Việt Nam Cộng Hòa, have suffered
20a lifetime of great challenges and discrimination. Yet, disabled
21veterans were excluded from the Humanitarian Resettlement
22Program because they were not detained in reeducation camps for
23the requisite number of years due to their physical disabilities; and
24WHEREAS, Thousands of disabled veterans of the South
25Vietnamese Army, also known as the Quân Lực Việt Nam Cộng
26Hòa, and their families are still living in the Socialist Republic of
27Vietnam, facing continued persecution from the government,
28including a lack of access to jobs, housing, and education; and
29WHEREAS, April 30, 2015, marks the 40th year since the Fall
30of Saigon; and
31WHEREAS, Amending the Humanitarian Resettlement Program,
32also known as the Orderly Departure Program, to include disabled
33veterans of the South Vietnamese Army, also known as the Quân
34Lực Việt Nam Cộng Hòa, would rightfully bring these veterans
35into a program that was meant to include them but inadvertently
36left them out; now, therefore, be it
37Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
38California, jointly, That the Legislature respectfully urges the
39President and the Vice President of the United States and the
40United States Congress to expand the Humanitarian Resettlement
P3 1Program to allow disabled veterans of the South Vietnamese Army
2currently living in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to enter the
3United States; and be it further
4Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
5this resolution to the President and the Vice President of the United
6States, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to the Speaker of the
7House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative
8from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the
9author for appropriate distribution.
O
99