*EPF513 05/05/00
Text: International Relations Chairman Gilman Lauds Hmong Veterans
(Urges passage of H.R. 371 to expedite Hmong U.S. citizenship) (710)
The United States owes a debt of gratitude to the Hmong veterans who fought in their Laotian homeland against Communist North Vietnam's troops during the Vietnam War, according to Representative Benjamin Gilman, chairman of the House International Relations Committee.
Gilman praised the Hmong veterans in an extension of his remarks May 3 regarding H.R. 371, legislation that would ease the process for Hmong veterans in gaining U.S. citizenship.
The legislation passed in the House of Representatives May 2.
H.R. 371, Gilman said, addresses language difficulties for Hmong veterans by waiving the English language requirement.
It also provides special consideration for the civics requirement associated with naturalization, he said.
By their actions during the Vietnam war, Gilman said, the Hmong have "already passed the most important test of all, risking their lives to defend freedom and save American personnel."
Following is the text of Gilman's remarks from the Congressional Record:
(begin text)
HMONG VETERANS' NATURALIZATION ACT OF 2000
HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN
(Extension of Remarks - May 03, 2000)
HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN
in the House of Representatives
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2000
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 371, the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this important legislation.
This legislation is long overdue. For too many years, the contributions made by our courageous Hmong allies during the Vietnam war went largely unrecognized. As we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ignoble end to the Vietnam war, it is befitting that this bill has come to the House floor for consideration.
The Hmong veterans were an invaluable, staunch ally to the U.S. war effort in Southeast Asia. Throughout the Vietnam conflict, Hmong guerrilla units, operating out of their native Laos, collected vital intelligence, protected key American installations in remote mountain locations, and rescued downed American pilots. In a statement submitted to the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims in the 105th Congress, a former CIA intelligence officer estimated that Hmong operations out of Laos tied down 50,000 North Vietnamese troops in that country.
It is important to note that the Hmong veterans performed their invaluable guerrilla role at great peril to themselves and to their families. Moreover, many of them suffered dearly at the hands of the Communist North Vietnamese and Laotian forces after the U.S. withdrawal from Southeast Asia in 1972.
H.R. 371 provides special relief and consideration for those Hmong veterans who have sought to emigrate to the United States. It recognizes the fact that many of the Hmong face unique language problems that would normally disqualify them for U.S. citizenship. These problems stem from the Natural Cultural Barriers that exist between Asian and Western societies, as well as the distinct issue of an underdeveloped and underutilized Hmong written language.
H.R. 371 addresses this unique problem by waiving the English language requirement and provides special consideration for the civics requirement associated with naturalization. The bill was amended in subcommittee to address concerns over the potential for fraud by clearly outlining steps that needed to be taken to determine a veteran's eligibility, and limiting the total number of potential beneficiaries to 45,000.
Mr. Speaker, I reiterate that this legislation is long overdue. I visited Hmong Commanding General Vang-Pao at his field headquarters in Central Laos in 1973. At that time, I was deeply impressed at how these people were willing to place their own lives and welfare on the line to not only fight for their freedom, but also to assist our American war effort and to save American lives. To paraphrase the author of this legislation, their actions during the Vietnam war demonstrates that the Hmong have already passed the most important test of all, risking their lives to defend freedom and save American personnel.
Accordingly, for this, we owe them our gratitude. This legislation corrects a long overdue problem, and is a significant step on the road to repaying the debt we as a Nation owe the Hmong veterans.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. http://usinfo.state.gov)
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