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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 499
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WHEREAS, When the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon |
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in 1975, a large number of Vietnamese refugees, including former |
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military personnel, government officials, and those who had |
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worked with the United States during the war, immigrated to |
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surrounding areas and to America; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, |
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thousands of Vietnamese risked their lives by fleeing Vietnam |
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aboard small wooden boats; approximately half of these emigrants |
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perished at sea, but others reached refugee camps in Thailand, |
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Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong; and |
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WHEREAS, Many Vietnamese who came to the United States |
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chose to settle in the metropolitan areas and coastal regions of |
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Texas; these first-generation Vietnamese Americans worked hard |
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and flourished here, and now the state is home to the |
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second-largest Vietnamese population in the United States, with |
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more than 200,000 residents, nearly half of whom live in the |
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Houston-Sugarland-Baytown area; and |
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WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have fully embraced all of |
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the democratic principles that the United States offers, |
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including human rights, religious freedom, freedom of speech, |
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and protection against threats of aggression; and |
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WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have denied the authority of |
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the Vietnamese Communist Flag and pushed for governments to |
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officially recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag, |
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which symbolizes both the Vietnamese cultural heritage and a |
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deeply rooted resilience and yearning for democracy; and |
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WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans strongly support education, |
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and their children are graduating from high schools and higher |
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education institutions at high rates; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State has benefited enormously from |
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the contributions of its Vietnamese American residents; and |
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WHEREAS, The Vietnamese American community plays a vital |
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role in the business, professional, and cultural life not only of |
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the Lone Star State but also of the country; the number of small |
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businesses owned by Vietnamese Americans has grown |
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substantially, and these firms have created more than 166,000 |
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jobs nationwide, adding billions of dollars to the economy; in |
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addition, Vietnamese Americans contribute to their communities |
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in a myriad of ways, as teachers, lawyers, writers, actors, |
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doctors, mayors, judges, and public servants; among the many |
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Vietnamese Americans who have led notable careers are astronaut |
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Eugene H. Trinh, former Dallas Cowboy Dat Nguyen, and scientist |
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Nguyet Anh Duong, who developed the thermobaric weapon, which |
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has been vital to United States military efforts; and |
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WHEREAS, For many decades, people of Vietnamese descent |
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have excelled in our society and economy, enriched our cultural |
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tapestry, and helped enhance and secure the Lone Star State's |
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reputation as a land of promise and possibility; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize April 8, 2015, as Vietnamese |
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American Day at the State Capitol and extend to each participant |
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best wishes for an informative and enjoyable day in Austin. |
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Ellis |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on April 8, 2015. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |