Bill Summary
The "Legacies of War Recognition and Unexploded Ordnance Removal Act" is a bill proposed in the United States to recognize and honor the refugee and immigrant communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam who supported and defended the US Armed Forces during the conflict in Southeast Asia. The bill also aims to provide assistance for activities related to the clearance of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other explosive remnants of war in these countries. It acknowledges the sacrifices made by these communities and the ongoing danger posed by UXO in the region. The bill also authorizes the President to provide humanitarian assistance for UXO clearance, capacity building, risk education, and assistance to survivors in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It emphasizes the importance of coordination with international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders in providing effective and efficient assistance. The bill also includes provisions for annual briefings to Congress and authorizes a budget of $100 million for each fiscal year from 2021 to 2025.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could provide recognition and support for refugee and immigrant communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam who supported and defended the US Armed Forces during the conflict in Southeast Asia. This could positively affect these communities by acknowledging their sacrifices and contributions to the US and providing assistance for their well-being and development.
2. The legislation also addresses the issue of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other explosive remnants of war in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which still pose a threat to the populations in these countries. By authorizing assistance for activities such as clearance and providing assistance to survivors, this legislation could help reduce the risk of UXO-related accidents and improve the lives of those affected by them.
3. The legislation emphasizes the importance of coordination and collaboration with international organizations, civil society, donor governments, and other stakeholders to maximize the efficient and effective provision of US assistance. This could promote stronger relationships and partnerships between the US and these entities, potentially leading to increased support and resources for addressing the issues mentioned in the legislation.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4686 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4686
To recognize the refugee and immigrant communities from Cambodia, Laos,
and Vietnam including the Hmong, Cham, Cambodian, Iu-Mien, Khmu, Lao,
Montagnard, and Vietnamese Americans who supported and defended the
Armed Forces during the conflict in Southeast Asia, authorize
assistance to support activities relating to clearance of unexploded
ordnance and other explosive remnants of war, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 24, 2020
Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To recognize the refugee and immigrant communities from Cambodia, Laos,
and Vietnam including the Hmong, Cham, Cambodian, Iu-Mien, Khmu, Lao,
Montagnard, and Vietnamese Americans who supported and defended the
Armed Forces during the conflict in Southeast Asia, authorize
assistance to support activities relating to clearance of unexploded
ordnance and other explosive remnants of war, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Legacies of War Recognition and
Unexploded Ordnance Removal Act''.
SEC. 2. RECOGNITION OF THE HMONG, CHAM, CAMBODIAN, IU-MIEN, KHMU, LAO,
MONTAGNARD, AND VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES WHO
SUPPORTED AND DEFENDED THE ARMED FORCES IN SOUTHEAST
ASIA.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Many Hmong, Cham, Cambodian, Iu-Mien, Khmu, Lao,
Montagnard and Vietnamese Americans--
(A) fought and died with United States Armed Forces
during the conflict in Southeast Asia in the 1960s and
1970s;
(B) rescued United States pilots shot down in
enemy-controlled territory and returned the pilots to
safety;
(C) gathered and provided to the United States
Armed Forces intelligence about enemy troop positions,
movement, and strength; and
(D) provided food, shelter, and support to the
United States Armed Forces.
(2) The National Armed Forces of Cambodia facilitated the
evacuation of the United States Embassy in Phnom Penh on April
12, 1975, by continuing to fight Khmer Rouge forces as they
advanced upon the capital.
(3) A tragic legacy of the conflict in Southeast Asia is
the lethal risk posed by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Vietnam,
Laos, and Cambodia that still litter forests, rice fields,
villages, school grounds, roads, and other populated areas--
hindering development and poverty reduction efforts.
(4) Vietnam remains one of the world's most contaminated
countries, with an estimated 800,000 tons of UXO left over from
the conflict in Southeast Asia that ended more than 40 years
ago. Since 1975, mine and UXO accidents have caused more than
100,000 casualties, including 40,000 deaths of Vietnamese
civilians.
(5) From 1964-1973, the United States dropped more than
2,000,000 tons of bombs on Laos during American operations to
disrupt North Vietnamese military supply routes. As a result,
Laos is the most heavily bombed country per capita in the
world. Much of the country's land remains contaminated with
tens of millions small, unexploded cluster munitions. Since the
end of the conflict, UXO have injured or killed more than
25,000 civilians in Laos.
(6) Cambodia suffers from one of the highest rates of
landmine and UXO accidents in the world. Over 64,000 Cambodians
have been killed or injured by UXO and other explosive remnants
of war since 1979, with an average of one casualty every week.
(7) The United States is the world's leading financial
supporter of demining and UXO removal programs. Since 1993, the
United States has provided more than $3,700,000,000 in
assistance to locate and destroy UXO and other explosive
remnants of war in more than 100 countries, including more than
$148,000,000 in Vietnam, $230,000,000 in Laos, and $150,000,000
in Cambodia.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Hmong, Cham, Cambodian, Iu-Mien, Khmu, Lao,
Montagnard, and Vietnamese Americans deserve recognition for
their support and defense of the Armed Forces during the
conflict in Southeast Asia; and
(2) the United States should continue to support activities
to clear UXO and other explosive remnants of war in Vietnam,
Laos, and Cambodia, and strengthen people-to-people ties and
reaffirm America's long-standing commitment to Southeast Asia.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE FOR VIETNAM, LAOS, AND CAMBODIA.
(a) In General.--The President is authorized to provide
humanitarian assistance for programs to support the activities
described in subsection (b).
(b) Activities Supported.--Activities that may be supported by
assistance under subsection (a) include the following:
(1) Developing national surveys of unexploded ordnance
(UXO) and other explosive remnants of war in Vietnam, Laos, and
Cambodia.
(2) Providing for clearance of such UXO and other explosive
remnants of war.
(3) Providing assistance for capacity building, risk
education, and assistance to survivors, including medical
assistance and prosthetic devices, in Vietnam, Laos, and
Cambodia related to both UXO and other explosive remnants of
war.
(c) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the President
shall seek to consult, partner, and coordinate with international
organizations, civil society, donor governments, and other
stakeholders, as appropriate, to leverage their expertise, financial
support, and resources to minimize duplication of efforts and maximize
the efficient and effective provision of United States assistance.
(d) Briefings.--
(1) Annual briefings.--The President shall provide annual
briefings to the appropriate committees of Congress on
activities undertaken in accordance with this section.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress''
means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the
Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee of Foreign Affairs, the Committee
on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the President to carry out this section $100,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
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