Bill Text: CA AB264 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 12-2)

Status: (Vetoed) 2010-01-14 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB264 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB264-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 264	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 27, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly  Member   Cook
  Members   Cook   and Lieu 
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Jeffries,   Niello,   and Silva   )

    (   Coauthors:   Senators  
Cogdill   and Cox   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 11, 2009

   An act to add Section 6715 to the Government Code, relating to
state observances.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 264, as amended, Cook. Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.
   Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim various days as
holidays and days of remembrance.
   This bill would  require the Governor to annually proclaim
  establish  March 30  of each year  as
"Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day."
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes
  no  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 6715 is added to the Government Code, to read:

   6715.  The Governor shall annually proclaim March 30 as "Welcome
Home Vietnam Veterans Day. 
    6715.   March 30 of each year shall be "Welcome Home
Vietnam Veterans Day."
   SEC. 2.    The Legislature hereby finds and declares
all of the following:  
   (a) In 2007, the United States Congress, by separate Senate and
House Resolutions, declared that a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day
should be established.  
   (b) The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 1975, and
involved North Vietnam and Viet Cong in conflict with the United
States and South Vietnam.  
   (c) The United States became involved in Vietnam because
policymakers in the United States believed that if South Vietnam fell
to a communist government, communism would spread throughout the
rest of southeast Asia.  
   (d) Members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in an
advisory role to the South Vietnamese in 1961.  
   (e) As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2 and
August 4, 1964, the United States overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 99-408), on August 7, 1964, which
effectively handed over the war-making powers to President Johnson
until such time as "peace and security" had returned to Vietnam.
 
   (f) In 1965, there were 80,000 United States troops in Vietnam,
and by 1969 a peak of approximately 543,000 troops was reached. 

   (g) On January 27, 1973, the Treaty of Paris was signed, which
required the release of all United States prisoners of war held in
North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces
from South Vietnam.  
   (h) On March 30, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed
the withdrawal of combat troops from Vietnam.  
   (i) More than 58,000 members of the United State Armed Forces lost
their lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 were wounded. 

   (j) In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in the
District of Columbia to commemorate those members of the United
States Armed Forces who died or were declared missing in action in
Vietnam.  
   (k) The Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the
people of the United States.  
   (l) Upon their return home, members of the United States Armed
Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the United States during
the Vietnam War were caught in the crossfire of public debate about
the involvement of the United States in the war.  
   (m) The establishment of a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day would
be an appropriate way to honor those members of the United States
Armed Forces who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.