CONATY RECOMMENDS SUPPORT FOR ACR 151

Pete Conaty recommends that you support recently introduced ACR 151 by Assemblymember Paul Cook and others. ACR 151 establishes a “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Days” to recognize the vital contributions and sacrifices of all members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Vietnam War. ACR 151 is pasted below.

This year will be the 20th Anniversary of the dedication of the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Capitol Park. This 20th Anniversary event will commence on December 10th, 2008 with the reading of the names of 5,822 Californians who gave their lives in defense of our country and shall end on December 13th, 2008 with a parade and ceremony at the memorial. The California Council, Vietnam Veterans of America and the California Department of Veterans Affairs are jointly sponsoring and conducting the ceremonies from December 10th to December 13th, 2008.

The establishment of the “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Days” will encourage all Californians to take part in the ceremonies commemorating the 20th Anniversary so that they may have the opportunity to remember and honor the service, efforts, and sacrifices of Vietnam Veterans, and pay homage to those Veterans who are still alive.

If you would like to support this resolution, please contact Pete Conaty and Associates at 916-492-0550.

Dana Nichol
Pete Conaty and Associates
Governmental Relations
1107 9th Street, # 530
Sacramento, CA 95814
ph 916-492-0550
fx 916-492-8957

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 151
JULY 14, 2008

INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Cook
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Lieu and Salas)
(Principal coauthor: Senator Wyland)

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 151, as introduced, Cook. Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Days. This measure would recognize December 10 through 13, 2008, as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Days.
Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, In 2007, the United States Congress, by separate Senate and House Resolutions declared that a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day should be established; and
WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 1975, and involved North Vietnam and the Viet Cong in conflict with the United States and South Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, The United States became involved in Vietnam because policymakers in the United States believed that if South Vietnam fell to a communist government, communism would spread throughout the rest of southeast Asia; and
WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in an advisory role to the South Vietnamese in 1961; and
WHEREAS, As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2 and 4, 1964, the United States Congress overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 99-408), on August 7, 1964, which effectively handed over the war-making powers to President
Johnson until such time as “peace and security” had returned to Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, there were 80,000 United States troops in Vietnam, and by 1969 a peak of approximately 543,000 troops was reached; and
WHEREAS, On January 27, 1973, the Treaty of Paris was signed, which required the release of all United States prisoners of war held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from South Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, On March 30, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed the withdrawal of combat troops from Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, More than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 members of the Armed Forces were wounded; and
WHEREAS, In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in the District of Columbia to commemorate those members of the United States Armed Forces who died or were declared missing in action in Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the people of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam War were caught upon their return home in the crossfire of public debate about the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, The establishment of a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day would be an appropriate way to honor those members of the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature by ACR 64, 2007-08 Regular Session (Lieu), commemorated the upcoming 20-year anniversary of the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 2008; and
WHEREAS, The celebration of the 20-year anniversary of the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial will commence on December 10, 2008, with the reading of the names of the 5,822 Californians who gave their lives in defense of their country; and
WHEREAS, The 20-year anniversary shall end on December 13, 2008, with a parade and ceremony; and
WHEREAS, The California Council, Vietnam Veterans, and the California Department of Veterans Affairs are jointly sponsoring and conducting the ceremonies from December 10 through 13, 2008, in order to ensure the appropriate honors from California’s fallen heroes;
now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares December 10 through 13, 2008, to be Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Days; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

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