SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 499
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
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 8, 2015.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate