Bill Text: NY K00889 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 29, 2020, as Vietnam Veterans' Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2020-06-10 - adopted [K00889 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00889-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 889

BY: M. of A. Barrett

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        March  29,  2020,  as  Vietnam  Veterans' Day in the
        State  of  New  York,  in   conjunction   with   the
        observance of National Vietnam Veterans Day

  WHEREAS,  It  is custom of this Legislative Body that those who give
positive definition to the profile and disposition of the American Armed
Forces so profoundly strengthen our shared commitment to the exercise of
freedom; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  it  is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to  proclaim  March  29,  2020,  as
Vietnam  Veterans' Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of National Vietnam Veterans Day; and

  WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of  New  York,
who  have  so  honorably served this State and Nation, deserve a special
salute from this Legislative Body; and

  WHEREAS, In recognition of the men and women who served with dignity
and honor during this historic time period, let  us  remember  them  and
thank them for their service; and

  WHEREAS,  More  than  three  million servicemen and women left their
families to bravely serve a world away in places such as la Drang to Khe
Sanh, from Hue to Saigon, and countless villages in between; they pushed
through jungles and rice paddies, heat and monsoons, fighting to protect
the ideals we hold dear as Americans; and

  WHEREAS, Through more than a decade of combat, over air,  land,  and
sea,  these  proud Americans upheld the highest traditions of the United
States Armed Forces; and

  WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was fought in the Republic of South Vietnam
from 1961 to 1975, and involved North Vietnamese regular forces and Viet
Cong guerrilla forces in armed conflict with  the  United  States  Armed
Forces and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam; and

  WHEREAS,  The  United States Armed Forces became involved in Vietnam
because the United States Government wanted to provide  direct  military
support  to  the  Government  of  Vietnam  to  defend itself against the
growing Communist threat from North Vietnam; and

  WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces began serving  in
an  advisory  role to the Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in
1961; and

  WHEREAS, As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on  August  2nd
and 4th, 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law
88-408),  on  August  7,  1964,  which  provided  the  authority  to the
President of the United  States  to  prosecute  the  war  against  North
Vietnam; and


  WHEREAS, In 1965, the United States Armed Forces ground combat units
arrived in Vietnam; and

  WHEREAS,  By the end of 1965, there were 80,000 United States troops
in Vietnam, and by 1969, a peak of  approximately  543,000  troops  were
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  29,  1973, the last 2,500 troops were withdrawn
from South Vietnam thus ending military involvement in the Vietnam  War;
and

  WHEREAS,  In  1984, the New York State Vietnam Veterans Memorial was
dedicated in Albany to commemorate those members of  the  United  States
Armed Forces who died or were declared missing-in-action in Vietnam, the
first state in the Nation to dedicate a Vietnam Memorial; and

  WHEREAS,  Beginning  on  Memorial  Day  2012, the federal government
began a partnership with local governments,  private  organizations  and
communities  across  the  country to participate in the commemoration of
the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, a 13-year program to honor  and
give  thanks  to  a  generation  of  proud Americans who saw our country
through one of the most challenging times; and

  WHEREAS, Chapter 90 of the Laws of 2008  designated  March  29th  of
each  year  as  Vietnam Veteran's Day in the State of New York, a day of
commemoration to  honor  those  individuals  who  sacrificed  for  their
country; and

  WHEREAS,  May  28,  2012, through November 11, 2025, is known as the
Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War as declared  by
former  President  Barack  Obama, by Presidential Proclamation dated May
25, 2012; and

  WHEREAS, March 28, 2017, President Donald Trump signed  the  Vietnam
War  Recognition  Act of 2017; the measure amended Title 4 of the United
States Code to encourage the flying of the  American  Flag  on  National
Vietnam War Veterans Day every year on March 29th; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Blue Water Navy (BWN)Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 (PL
116-23) was signed by President Donald Trump on June 25, 2019, and  took
effect  January  1,  2020;  this  measure  extends  the  presumption  of
herbicide exposure, such as Agent Orange, to veterans who served in  the
offshore  waters of the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and
May 7, 1975; and

  WHEREAS, The citizens of this great State and Nation, benefactors of
the sacrifices and courageous acts of the men and women who  served  and
continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces, remain indebted and
are  justly  proud  of  the Vietnam veterans from the State of New York;
now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Andrew  M.  Cuomo  to proclaim March 29, 2020, as
Vietnam Veterans' Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with  the
observance of National Vietnam Veterans Day; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That this Legislative Body pause further to encourage the
people of the State of New York to observe Vietnam  Veterans'  Day  with
appropriate  ceremonies  and  activities  that  provide the appreciation
Vietnam War veterans deserve but did not  receive  upon  returning  home
from  the war; demonstrate the resolve that never again shall the Nation
disregard and denigrate a generation of veterans; to  promote  awareness
of  the faithful service and contributions of such veterans during their
military service as well as to their communities since  returning  home;
to  promote  awareness  of  all  the  importance  of  entire communities
empowering veterans and the families of veterans to readjust to civilian
life after military service;  and  to  promote  opportunities  for  such
veterans  to assist younger veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan in rehabilitation from wounds, both seen and unseen, and  to
support the reintegration of younger veterans into civilian life; and be
it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M Cuomo, Governor of  the  State  of
New  York; John Rowan, President of the Vietnam Veterans of America; Ned
Foote, President of the Vietnam  Veterans  of  America  New  York  State
Council;  and  Joseph Pollicino, President of Tri-County Council Vietnam
Era Veterans.