Bill Text: TX SR499 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing April 8, 2015, as Vietnamese American Day.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-08 - Reported enrolled [SR499 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SR499-Enrolled.html
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| WHEREAS, When the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon | ||
| in 1975, a large number of Vietnamese refugees, including former | ||
| military personnel, government officials, and those who had | ||
| worked with the United States during the war, immigrated to | ||
| surrounding areas and to America; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Throughout the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, | ||
| thousands of Vietnamese risked their lives by fleeing Vietnam | ||
| aboard small wooden boats; approximately half of these emigrants | ||
| perished at sea, but others reached refugee camps in Thailand, | ||
| Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Many Vietnamese who came to the United States | ||
| chose to settle in the metropolitan areas and coastal regions of | ||
| Texas; these first-generation Vietnamese Americans worked hard | ||
| and flourished here, and now the state is home to the | ||
| second-largest Vietnamese population in the United States, with | ||
| more than 200,000 residents, nearly half of whom live in the | ||
| Houston-Sugarland-Baytown area; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have fully embraced all of | ||
| the democratic principles that the United States offers, | ||
| including human rights, religious freedom, freedom of speech, | ||
| and protection against threats of aggression; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have denied the authority of | ||
| the Vietnamese Communist Flag and pushed for governments to | ||
| officially recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag, | ||
| which symbolizes both the Vietnamese cultural heritage and a | ||
| deeply rooted resilience and yearning for democracy; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans strongly support education, | ||
| and their children are graduating from high schools and higher | ||
| education institutions at high rates; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Lone Star State has benefited enormously from | ||
| the contributions of its Vietnamese American residents; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Vietnamese American community plays a vital | ||
| role in the business, professional, and cultural life not only of | ||
| the Lone Star State but also of the country; the number of small | ||
| businesses owned by Vietnamese Americans has grown | ||
| substantially, and these firms have created more than 166,000 | ||
| jobs nationwide, adding billions of dollars to the economy; in | ||
| addition, Vietnamese Americans contribute to their communities | ||
| in a myriad of ways, as teachers, lawyers, writers, actors, | ||
| doctors, mayors, judges, and public servants; among the many | ||
| Vietnamese Americans who have led notable careers are astronaut | ||
| Eugene H. Trinh, former Dallas Cowboy Dat Nguyen, and scientist | ||
| Nguyet Anh Duong, who developed the thermobaric weapon, which | ||
| has been vital to United States military efforts; and | ||
| WHEREAS, For many decades, people of Vietnamese descent | ||
| have excelled in our society and economy, enriched our cultural | ||
| tapestry, and helped enhance and secure the Lone Star State's | ||
| reputation as a land of promise and possibility; now, therefore, | ||
| be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th | ||
| Legislature, hereby recognize April 8, 2015, as Vietnamese | ||
| American Day at the State Capitol and extend to each participant | ||
| best wishes for an informative and enjoyable day in Austin. | ||
| Ellis | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| President of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that the | ||
| above Resolution was adopted by | ||
| the Senate on April 8, 2015. | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
