[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 366 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 366
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Black April and the Fall of Saigon
on April 30, 1975.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2025
Mr. Tran (for himself, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Correa, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Min, Mr.
Baumgartner, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Hurd of Colorado, Ms. Sanchez, Mr.
Fitzpatrick, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Khanna, Ms. Chu, Mr. Thompson
of California, Mr. Carbajal, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Takano, Mr. Frost, Ms.
Tokuda, Mr. Liccardo, Mr. Subramanyam, Mr. Peters, Ms. Escobar, Ms.
Bynum, Ms. Rivas, Mrs. Torres of California, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Soto,
Mr. Doggett, Ms. Ross, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Bell, Mr. Gray, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Dexter, Ms. Friedman, Mr. Riley of New
York, Mr. Hernandez, Ms. Scholten, Mr. Casar, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Vasquez,
Ms. Malliotakis, and Mr. Kennedy of New York) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and
in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Black April and the Fall of Saigon
on April 30, 1975.
Whereas, since 1975, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fled the Vietnamese
communist regime, resettled in the United States, and built vibrant
communities across the United States which contribute to the rich
diversity of the Nation;
Whereas, on April 30, 1975, the Republic of Vietnam was overthrown by Communist
forces in an event known as the ``Fall of Saigon'';
Whereas, every year on April 30, Vietnamese-American communities across the
United States observe ``Black April'' as a solemn day of remembrance;
Whereas ``Black April'' is known as ``Thang Tu Den'' in the Vietnamese language;
Whereas the Fall of Saigon led to the forced displacement of millions of
Vietnamese who sought refuge across the world;
Whereas, in 1975, Congress passed the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance
Act (Public Law 94-23), allocating roughly $455,000,000 to facilitate
the evacuation and resettlement of refugees from South Vietnam fleeing
political persecution, oppression, and economic hardship;
Whereas members of the South Vietnamese military fought side by side with the
United States Armed Forces and troops from other allied nations in
defense of the ideals of democracy, freedom, and human dignity;
Whereas the evacuation of thousands of Vietnamese and Americans during Operation
Frequent Wind stands as one of the most significant humanitarian efforts
in modern United States military history;
Whereas the United States carried out multiple subsequent aerial evacuation
missions, including Operation Babylift, Operation New Life, and
Operation New Arrivals, which collectively evacuated tens of thousands
of Vietnamese refugees to the United States;
Whereas the journey of Vietnamese refugees was marked by immense hardship, with
many enduring perilous ocean voyages, time in refugee camps, and
struggles of cultural adaptation;
Whereas Vietnamese Americans persevered to build new lives and contribute to the
social, economic, and political fabric of the United States;
Whereas Vietnamese Americans have continuously advocated for freedom and
democracy in Vietnam, and spoken out against human rights abuses by the
Vietnamese Government;
Whereas the Communist Party of Vietnam continues to hold one of the worst
records on human rights in the region, violating religious freedom,
obstructing freedom of press, restricting its own citizens' freedom of
speech and assembly, and detaining prisoners of conscience;
Whereas, in 2023, the Vietnamese American community numbers over 2,300,000
people, becoming an integral part of American society and excelling in
diverse fields such as public service, business, science, education,
medicine, and the arts; and
Whereas the customs of traditions of Vietnamese Americans are celebrated and
deeply woven into the fabric of our Nation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the significance of the 50th anniversary of
Black April and the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975;
(2) honors the contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the
United States over the last 50 years and their tireless
commitment to upholding freedom, human rights, and democracy in
Vietnam;
(3) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to
upholding the values of democracy, human rights, and freedom
for all people, including in Vietnam where people continue to
seek enhanced civil liberties and freedom of press;
(4) honors the service of members of the United States
Armed Forces and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam who fought
in the Vietnam war, including those who gave their lives;
(5) honors the memory of the Vietnamese who lost their
lives in search of freedom and democracy while attempting to
flee Vietnam; and
(6) encourages all citizens of the United States to join in
commemorating Black April and the Fall of Saigon and honoring
the contributions of the Vietnamese American community and
indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese diaspora.
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