Bill Text: TX SR499 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing April 8, 2015, as Vietnamese American Day.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-08 - Reported enrolled [SR499 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SR499-Enrolled.html
|
||
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 |