|
On the heels of the Hmong Burial Bill yet another controversy has arisen
|
|
|
What is a Congressional Gold Medal
|
Senate File 3271 was introduced by Senator Amy Kloburchar and Senator Gary Peters in the United States Senate with six cosponsors on November 9, 2023.
House Resolution 2437 was introduced by Representative Glenn Grothman in the United States House of Representatives with forty nine cosponsors on March 30, 2023. The error made and insuing controversy brewing. With the abundace of resources giving to our elected officials in crafting laws in Washington D.C., unfortunately yet another law is has been introduced and is gathering cospooncorship in the United States Congress. Senate File. 3271 has proven to be controversial in that our Veteran Allies and Southeast Asian Communities have identified a glaring error within the bills language, (S.3271, page 2, lines 5-6), clearly states " Interrupted the Ho-Chi-Min(h) Supply Trail". This unfortunate mistake has generated several letters to the Congressmen who introduced and cosponsered the bill by those allies that actually did interrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Bill awards the Hmong, the heroic but smaller ethnic group of allies who lived in northeastern Laos within Military Region 2 the Gold Medal. (see maps 3 & 4) The bills language attributes the Hmong as interrupting the Ho Chi Minh Supply Trail (see map 1). Unfortunately this is totally incorrect. Whereas the Hmong along with the Lowland Lao and Lao Theung who were often supported by the Lowland Lao from Military Regions 1, 3, & 4 defended Military Region 2 and protected with CIA support the vitally important TACAN and Lima Sites located there. ( see, https://www.cavwv.org/lao-lima-sites.html ) The Hmong seldom if ever venured out of Military Region 2 except for the few who trained in Thailand. (see map 3). The Ho Chi Minh Trail enters Laos much farther south of Military Region 2 and west of Vinh, North Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh trail head enters Laos through the Nape, Mu Gia, Ban Karai and Ban Raving passes mid Military Region 3 in Laos and then extends into Southern Laos, Cambodia and finally into South Vietnam. (see maps 1 & 2) The Ho Chi Minh Trail was in fact interrupted by the Lowland Lao in Military Regions 3 & 4, by the indigenous Free Khmer in Cambodia, by the indigenous tribes of the Montagnards along the Annimate Mountains, and the South Vietnamese in I Corps, II Corps and III Corps in South Vietnam. . (see maps 1 & 2). This is an unfortunate error and has disappointed those veterans who actually did interrupt supplies and munitions of the Communist Vietnamese along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Additionally they have been omitted from being nominated or awarded a Gold Medal for this sighted service. A well deserved honor to these brave Allies they equally deserve. The Chief sponsors have been made aware of the error and our Allies are awaiting a remedy or correction. No response or comment has been received from Sen. Kloburchar, Sen. Peters or Rep. Genn Grothman to date. No comment has been received from any of he Bills co-sponcors either. United States Senate - S 3271 Ron Johnson [R-WI]* 11/09/2023; Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]*11/09/2023; Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]*11/09/2023;; Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]*11/09/2023 Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]*11/27/2023; Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]* 12/19/2023; Tester, Jon [D-MT]* 01/08/2024; Gary Peters, [D-M]I*11/09/23 House of Representatives - HR 2437 John S. Duarte (CA); Ryan K. Zinke (MT); Doug LaMalfa (CA); Mike Johnson (LA); Andy Harris (MD); Richard Hudson (NC); Jack Bergman (MI); James R. Baird (IN); Harriet M. Hageman (WY); James Comer (KY); John R. Carter (TX); Dusty Johnson (SD); Alexander X. Mooney (WV); Kay Granger (TX); J. French Hill (AR); Claudia Tenney (NY); Gwen Moore (WI); Mike Gallagher (WI); Clay Higgins (LA); Thomas P. Tiffany (WI); Bryan Steil (WI); Scott Fitzgerald (WI); Ken Buck (CO); Don Bacon (NE); Carol D. Miller (WV); Debbie Lesko (AZ); Troy E. Nehls (TX); J. Luis Correa (CA); Norma J. Torres (CA); Juan Vargas (CA); Wesley Hunt (TX); Julia Brownley (CA); Pat Fallon (TX); Bruce Westerman (AR); Mark Pocan (WI); Guy Reschenthaler (PA); Mike Bost (IL); David G. Valadao (CA); Glenn Thompson (PA); Russell Fry (SC); Brian K. Fitzpatrick (PA); Doug Lamborn (CO); Kevin Kiley (CA); Jim Costa (CA); Katie Porter (CA); Michelle Steel (CA); Burgess Owens (UT) For more information about the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the Hmong and the Secret War in Laos please visit: https://www.cavwv.org/laos-the-secret-war.html
To learn more about the equally controversial Hmong Burial Bill visit: https://cavwv.org/hmong-burial-contoversy.html
|
Map 1, Ho Chi Minh Trail Head
Map 2, Greater Ho ChI Minh Trail System
Map 3, Military Region 2, TACAN & Lima Sites
Map 4,
Military Regions of Laos
|
