Laos, Hmong Veterans of Vietnam War Fight For Burial Honors
Washington, D.C. and Fresno, California, October 21, 2011
Center for Public Policy Analysis
The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), the Lao Veterans of America Institute (LVAI), the Lao Veterans of America,
Inc. (LVA), and a coalition of Laotian and Hmong-American organizations, joined today to express gratitude and support
for the re-introduction of a bill in Congress that would honor Laotian and Hmong veterans by permitting their burial in
national veterans cemeteries across the United States. The non-governmental organizations hailed the leadership of U.S.
Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA), and a bipartisan group of Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington,
D.C., for helping to spearhead the legislation on Capitol Hill that bestows further respect and overdue honor to the
Laotian and Hmong-American community for their efforts during the Vietnam War.
“We again sincerely thank U.S. Congressman Jim Costa and seven key Members of Congress for reintroducing critical
legislation that honors the Laotian and Hmong veterans of the Vietnam War in Laos,” said Colonel Wangyee Vang, National
President of the Lao Veterans of America Institute, who helped to educate Congress about the plight of Lao Hmong
veterans in the United States and Southeast Asia.
“Our Laotian and Hmong veterans courageously served in combat alongside U.S. forces in the secret theatre of operations
in Laos alongside U.S. special forces and American intelligence community members, and they should be rightly honored
with burial in U.S. national veterans cemeteries alongside their American counterparts,” Colonel Vang stated.
“Hmong veterans served side-by-side with American forces in Vietnam, and these veterans deserve the honor of a final
resting place next to their brothers in arms,” stated U.S. Congressman Jim Costa said.
“These veterans defended our American ideals long before any of them called our country home. Extending burial benefits
to our Hmong veterans recognizes their sacrifice and honors their patriotic service,” U.S. Representative Costa further
stated.
“This important legislation, if passed by the U.S. Congress and enacted, would permit several thousand Laotian and
Hmong-American veterans who served in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War to be buried, or their ashes interred,
in veterans cemeteries across the United States,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director for the Washington, D.C.-based
CPPA. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“Commendably, Laotian and Hmong veterans and their family members across America are continuing the fight for burial
honors in Washington, D.C. and are educating Members of the U.S. Congress and policymakers about their sacrifices during
the Vietnam War in Laos and Southeast Asia,” Smith commented.
In Washington, D.C., over the years, the LVAI, LVA and CPPA have helped to conduct and lead national ceremonies in the
U.S. Congress, Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam War Memorial to honor Laotian and Hmong veterans and their
refugee families. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100608007501/en/Laos-Hmong-Community-Concludes-National-Memorial-Ceremonies
The new legislation, H.R.3192 would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries
individuals who supported the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War era in combating invading communist forces
from North Vietnam as well as Marxist Pathet Lao guerrillas.
Support for the initiative in Congress have received the support of various historians, scholars and advocates,
including prominent Southeast Asia scholar Dr Jane Hamilton-Merritt. http://www.tragicmountains.org
Organizations today hailing the new effort in Congress on behalf of burial honors for Lao Hmong veterans include the
LVAI, LVA, CPPA, the United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc., Hmong Advance, Inc., Hmong Advancement, Inc. and others.