,,iv #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #dce ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #aa1 #bjai,mr4 ,budd 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,rouda1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,mr4 ,khanna1 and ,mr4 ,meadows7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,,resolution ,recognizing the contributions of the ,montagnard indigenous tribespeople of the ,central ,highlands of ,vietnam to the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces during the ,vietnam ,war1 and condemning the ongoing violation of human rights by the ,government of the ,socialist ,republic of ,vietnam4 ,whereas the ,montagnards are an indigenous tribespeople living in ,vietnam's ,central ,highlands region2 ,whereas ,french ,roman ,catholic missionaries converted many of the ,montagnards in the #aith century and ,american ,protestant missionaries subsequently converted many to various ,protestant sects2 ,whereas1 during the #aifjs1 the ,united ,states ,mission in ,saigon1 the ,central ,intelligence ,agency 7,,cia71 and ,united ,states ,army ,special ,forces1 also known as the ,green ,berets1 trained the ,montagnards in unconventional warfare2 ,whereas an estimated #fa1jjj ,montagnards1 out of an estimated population of #a1jjj1jjj1 fought alongside the ,united ,states and the ,army of the ,republic of ,vietnam 7,,arvn7 forces against the ,north ,vietnamese ,army and the ,viet ,cong2 ,whereas the ,,cia1 ,united ,states ,special ,forces1 and the ,montagnards cooperated on the ,village ,defense ,program1 a forerunner to the ,war's ,strategic ,hamlet ,program1 and an estimated #dc1jjj ,montagnards were organized into ,civilian ,irregular ,defense ,groups 7,c,i,d,gs7 to provide protection for the areas around the ,c,i,d,gs' operational bases2 ,whereas1 at its peak1 the ,c,i,d,gs had approximately #ej operational bases1 with each base containing a contingent of two ,united ,states ,army officers and ten enlisted men1 and an ,,arvn unit of the same size1 and each base trained #bjj to #gjj ,montagnards or strikers2 ,whereas another #ah1jjj ,montagnards were reportedly enlisted into mobile strike forces and various historical accounts describe a strong bond between the ,united ,states ,special ,forces and the ,montagnards2 ,whereas the lives of thousands of members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces were saved as a result of the heroic actions of the ,montagnards1 who fought loyally and bravely alongside ,united ,states ,special ,forces in the ,vietnam ,war2 ,whereas1 after the fall of the ,republic of ,vietnam in #aige1 thousands of ,montagnards fled across the border into ,cambodia to escape persecution2 ,whereas the ,government of the reunified ,vietnamese nation1 renamed the ,socialist ,republic of ,vietnam1 deeply distrusted the ,montagnards who had sided with the ,united ,states and ,,arvn forces1 and subjected them to imprisonment and various forms of discrimination and oppression after the ,vietnam ,war ended2 ,whereas1 after the ,vietnam ,war1 the ,united ,states ,government resettled large numbers of ,montagnards in several ,states and an estimated several thousand ,montagnards currently reside in ,north ,carolina1 which is the largest population of ,montagnards residing outside of ,vietnam2 ,whereas the ,socialist ,republic of ,vietnam currently remains a one-party state1 ruled and controlled by the ,communist ,party of ,vietnam 7,,cpv71 which continues to restrict freedom of religion1 movement1 land and property rights1 and political expression2 ,whereas some ,montagnard-,americans have shared their personal stories about ,vietnamese authorities either preventing them from visiting ,vietnam or subjecting them to interrogation upon re-entering the country on visits2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state's #bjaf ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices documents the ,government of ,vietnam's claim that ,montagnards fleeing to ,cambodia and ,thailand are illegal migrants in pursuit of economic opportunities1 and human rights groups assess that the ,government has pressured ,cambodian and ,thai authorities to refuse ,montagnards refugee or temporary asylum-seeker status and repatriate them to ,vietnam2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state's #bjaf ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices states that1 although ,vietnamese law prohibits discrimination against ethnic minorities and despite ,vietnam's significant economic growth1 the economic gap between many ethnic minority communities and ethnic ,vietnamese 7,kinh7 communities persisted as a result of longstanding and persistent discrimination2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state's #bjaf ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices further states that ethnic minority populations in ,vietnam also experienced significant health challenges as maternal and child mortality rates were significantly higher in ethnic minority areas1 in comparison with urban and coastal areas2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,commission on ,international ,religious ,freedom 7,,uscirf7 in its #bjaf ,annual ,report states that ,montagnards1 many of whom are ,protestant1 face numerous restrictions such as being prevented from holding religious ceremonies1 harassed or punished1 and many are summoned to meet with local authorities and pressured to cease practicing their poisonous faith2 ,whereas ,montagnards have stated that this kind of ongoing social and religious persecution drove them to flee to ,cambodia2 ,whereas ,,uscirf reports that1 since ,october #bjad1 up to #cjj ,montagnards have fled ,vietnam to ,cambodia1 many because of religious persecution but only #ac have been granted refugee status with the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees 7,,unhcr7 as countless others are waiting for ,cambodia to process their asylum claims1 and dozens have been returned to ,vietnam1 often at great risk of reprisals2 and ,whereas ,,uscirf recommends that ,vietnam be designated a ,country of ,particular ,concern 7,,cpc7 as a means to facilitating reforms3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 recognizes the contributions of the ,montagnards who fought loyally and bravely with ,united ,states ,armed ,forces during the ,vietnam ,war and who continue to suffer persecution in ,vietnam as a result of this relationship2 7#b7 condemns ongoing actions by the ,government of ,vietnam to suppress basic human rights and civil liberties of its citizens2 7#c7 calls on the ,government of ,vietnam to allow human rights groups access to all regions of the country and to end restrictions of basic human rights1 including the right for ,montagnards to practice their ,christian faith freely1 the right to land and property1 freedom of movement1 the right to retain ethnic identity and culture1 and access to an adequate standard of living2 7#d7 recognizes the importance of the ,u4,s4 ,refugee ,admissions ,program 7,,usrap7 and that1 where determined to be eligible1 ,montagnards should be provided access to ,,usrap for resettlement in the ,united ,states and in other countries2 and 7#e7 urges the ,president and ,congress to develop policies at every level1 including trade1 military1 and economic policy1 that support ,montagnards and other marginalized ethnic minority and indigenous populations in ,vietnam that reflect ,united ,states interests and commitment to upholding human rights and democracy abroad4