Bill Text: FL S0334 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 25-14)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-19 - Adopted, companion bill(s) passed, see HR 9019 (Adopted) [S0334 Detail]
Download: Florida-2013-S0334-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2013 (NP) SR 334 By Senator Evers 2-00001-13 2013334__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing March 30, 2013, and each 3 March 30 thereafter as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans 4 Day.” 5 6 WHEREAS, the Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 7 1975, and involved North Vietnam and the Vietcong in conflict 8 with the United States and South Vietnam, and 9 WHEREAS, the United States became involved in Vietnam, 10 first in an advisory role to the South Vietnamese, because 11 policymakers in the United States believed that if South Vietnam 12 fell to a communist government, communism would spread 13 throughout the rest of Southeast Asia, and 14 WHEREAS, on August 7, 1964, the United States Congress 15 overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which 16 effectively handed over the war-making powers to President 17 Lyndon Johnson until such time as peace and security had 18 returned to Vietnam, and 19 WHEREAS, in 1965, there were 184,000 United States troops 20 in Vietnam and, by 1969, that number had grown to about 475,000 21 troops, and 22 WHEREAS, on January 27, 1973, the Treaty of Paris was 23 signed, which required the release of all United States 24 prisoners of war held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all 25 United States Armed Forces, and, on March 30, 1973, the United 26 States completed the withdrawal of combat troops, and 27 WHEREAS, during the course of the war, more than 58,000 28 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their lives in 29 Vietnam and more than 300,000 were wounded, and 30 WHEREAS, upon their return home, members of the United 31 States Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the 32 United States during the Vietnam War were caught in the 33 crossfire of public debate about the involvement of the United 34 States in the war, and the issue remained a divisive one for 35 many years, and 36 WHEREAS, it was not until 1982 that the Vietnam Veterans 37 Memorial was dedicated in the District of Columbia to 38 commemorate those members of the United States Armed Forces who 39 died or were declared missing in action in Vietnam, and 40 WHEREAS, the establishment of “Welcome Home Vietnam 41 Veterans Day” is an appropriate way to honor those members of 42 the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam during the 43 Vietnam War, NOW, THEREFORE, 44 45 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 46 47 That March 30, 2013, and each March 30 thereafter be 48 recognized as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.”