Section I. - General Information and Text of the Legislation.

A.   SF568 -Minnesota State Senate Veterans Committee passes the bill redifining a Veteran, Refers it to State and Local Government Committee this committee passed it and refered it to the Finance Committee for further action.

B.    HF1845 -House postpones passage by directing the State to establish Task Force to further study the bill's ramification on the Department of Veteran Affairs and the State of Minnesota's Veterans Community.

​House File 1845 and Senate File 568 were introduced this session redifining a Veteran. 
The legislation redefines a veteran to include the Hmong irregular soldiers that the United States supported during the Veitnam War. For several years the Hmong Community has pushed the United States Congress and State Legilatures to award benifits for those Hmong Veterans. This bill in effect does that. 
It has been controversial as other deserving ethnic veteran allies have been omitted from the legislation. The United States Army Special Forces Association has well as several other Veteran organiztosn has wieghed in on the issue by sending a letter to the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs and Veteran Committee Chairmen and members articulating their concerns and flaws identified in the legislation as well as the ommition of other well deserving allies The Unitd States supported during the conflict.

April 2nd the House met and held a hearing on the legislation. Enough questions arose that the committee voted to postpone the passage of HF1845 and introduce a deleat all amendment that directs the Department of Vetean Affairs to establish a task for next year to address the issue.
Later on April 2nd the Senate Veterans Committee met and held a hearing on the Senate language. Several testifiers spoke to the bill including its Chief Author Sen. Fong Hawj and Chairman Putnam who stated that this was not a contiversial bill. That statement took many veterans aback as there was indeed controversy serounding the bill. The bill passed the Senate committee and sent for passage by the Minnesota legislature.
Senate File 568
Passes Veterans Committee
Passes Senate Committe on State and Local Government
Refered to Finance Committee for further action.
House File 1845
Layed over till 2026
​Pending a Task Force Establshed
​House File 1845 - DE1 Amendment-Task Force Established

Section II - Analysis With Identified Issues and Flaws

Links to the CAVWV analysis and identified flaws in both SF 568 and
​ the DE1 Amendment to HF 1845.

Section III - Submitted Written Testimoy 

Links to additional written testimony submitted to the State and Local Government Committee.

CAVWV letter of testimony and facts and elements of the bill needing addressed.

Section IV - Corrected False and Misleading Testimoy 

Claim:  All records of the Hmong were burned before the United States left Laos.-  Made by Rep. Khouly Her, April 4, 2025 at a Minnesota State Veteran Committee hearing in support of HF1845.

This is not true.    Lt. Gen Richard Trefry (RET) the last United States Army officer to leave Laos, stated in a C-SPAN broadcast panel discussion on April 20, 1996, titled " U.S. Intelligence Activity in Laos in the 1960's and 70's.", that he personally gathered all records, two filing cabinets full that were in his possession, boxed them and had sent to the States. One delivery was made to the Army War College in Carlile, PA. Those records although supposedly lost were inadvertenly revealed to CAVWV, Special Projects Director Scott Walker by an assistant resarcher at the research desk at the War College. Walker asked for access to those records. He was told  that the College had sent them out to be digitized. Trefry's statement can be found at 1:54:01 on the linked video here:    https://www.c-span.org/video/?71353-1/us-intelligence-activity-laos

Claim:  The Hmong were the only SGU irregular forces in Laos. - Made by Sen. Fong Hawj on April 7, 2025 at the Minnesota State and Local Government Committee hearing when asked by a Sen. Ann Johnson-Stewart if he knew of any other groups like the Hmong "that came in great numbers" that served in the war.

This is not true.  The Hmong were not the only Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) or irregular forces in Laos during the Vietnam War. The CIA's paramilitary effort relied on a broader coalition of local populations to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and counter Pathet Lao communist forces. In addition to the Hmong the CIA recruited and trained irregular forces from other ethnic groups such as:
1.  Lao Theung (Khmu and others) 
2.  Tai (Tai Dam, Tai Deng,etc.) 
3.  Yao (Mien)
4.  Lowland Lao (Lao Loum)
CIA records and testimonies from operatives indicate that Lao Loum (Lowland Lao) and Lao Theung (midland tribes) comprised approximately 65% of Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU) forces, with Hmong making up roughly 35%. This aligns with statements from Hugh B. Tovar, the CIA’s Chief of Station in Laos, who noted that “the best soldiers in Laos… were not Hmong” but Lowland Lao from regions like Savannakhet. (CSPAN video) https://www.c-span.org/video/?71353-1/us-intelligence-activity-laos
​The SGU's themselves were structured as mobile, battalion - sized units of about 300-500 men and were not exclusively Hmong.  So the Hmong were not the only ethnic irregular force in Laos but did play a significant part of a broader, multi-ethnic irregular coalition. Thes facts are well documented in a variaty of books and publications that can be found in the Laos section at:.
 https://www.cavwv.org/further-reading-book--film.htm.
 Statements by Hugh Tovar, CIA Chief of Station in Laos, Former Ambassador Charles Whitehouse and LTG Richard Trefry, MACV Laos can be found in the C-Span video of Aril, 1996 titled " U.S. Inteligence actovoty in Laos". 
 https://www.c-span.org/video/?71353-1/us-intelligence-activity-laos
Therefore, Sen. Fong Hawj may have mislead his colleagues with his answer and/ or is unaware of these facts of history, 
​

Claim:  The Hmong have special status under federal law. - Made by CL Yee Hang (RET) at the April 4, 2025 at a Minnesota State Veteran Committee hearing in support of HF1845.

This is not entirely true.  This argument has often been made discussing Hmong affairs particularly in regard to legislation.
There is no evidence that the Hmong have any special status other than what statues were used to gain expedited immigration and public assistence in the United States. Similar laws assited the Cambodian, Lao Luon and other ethnic groups enter legal pathways and assistance into the United States. 
The information below may be of help.
​
Citations:
The Hmong in the United States do not broadly enjoy a "special status" under federal law in the sense of a unique, overarching legal classification that applies to all Hmong individuals. However, certain federal laws and policies have been enacted specifically to address the needs and circumstances of Hmong immigrants and refugees, particularly those tied to their historical role as allies of the United States during the Vietnam War. These measures reflect recognition of their contributions and the challenges they faced as a result, rather than conferring a blanket "special status" akin to a protected class.

One significant example is the **Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000** (Public Law 106-207). This legislation provided an exemption from the English language requirement and offered special consideration for the civics test for Hmong veterans who served in support of U.S. forces in Laos during the Vietnam War (between February 28, 1961, and September 18, 1978). It applied to those who were admitted to the U.S. as refugees and allowed up to 45,000 eligible individuals to apply for citizenship within a specified period. This law was a targeted acknowledgment of their service and sacrifice, facilitating naturalization for a specific subset of the Hmong population—veterans and, in later amendments, their widows—rather than all Hmong Americans.

Additionally, under the "Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1975" and the "Refugee Act of 1980", many Hmong were admitted to the U.S. as refugees following the fall of Laos to communist forces in 1975. These laws provided legal pathways for resettlement, access to federal assistance programs (such as housing, employment support, and healthcare), and eventual permanent residency or citizenship. While these policies applied to Southeast Asian refugees broadly, the Hmong were a significant beneficiary due to their large-scale displacement and their direct involvement with U.S. military efforts in the Secret War in Laos.

Another relevant measure is "Section 586 of Public Law 106-429" (2000), which allowed certain natives or citizens of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos—including many Hmong—who were paroled into the U.S. before October 1, 1997, to adjust their status to lawful permanent residents. This was limited to 5,000 individuals and required physical presence in the U.S. on and before that date, reflecting a specific immigration benefit tied to their refugee history.

Beyond these examples, Hmong Americans are subject to the same federal laws as other U.S. residents or citizens, depending on their immigration status. There are no ongoing, distinct legal privileges or protections that apply exclusively to all Hmong individuals as an ethnic group under federal law. However, their historical context has led to legislative actions that address specific needs, particularly for veterans and early refugees. For instance, proposals like the **Hmong and Lao Refugee Deportation Prohibition Act of 2020** (H.R. 6034), which sought to defer deportation of certain Hmong and Lao individuals with removal orders, indicate periodic efforts to protect segments of the community, though this bill did not become law.

In summary, while the Hmong do not have a comprehensive "special status" under federal law, specific statutes have granted targeted benefits—mainly citizenship facilitation and refugee resettlement support—to subsets of the Hmong population in recognition of their unique historical circumstances. These measures are exceptions rather than a general rule, and most Hmong Americans today navigate federal law as any other immigrant or citizen group would.

 Claim:   The Hmong constituted the majority of Lao Special Gurilla Units (SGU) irregular forces.

This claim is not true.  It it is claimed that the Hmong constituted the majority of Lao irregular forces during the Vietnam War is not supported by reliable evidence and is contradicted by historical accounts and CIA records. 
​1. Ethnic Composition of Irregular Forces,
Non-Hmong Majority:
CIA records and testimonies from operatives indicate that Lao Loum (Lowland Lao) and Lao Theung (midland tribes) comprised approximately 65% of Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU) forces, with Hmong making up roughly 35%. This aligns with statements from Hugh B. Tovar, the CIA’s Chief of Station in Laos, who noted that “the best soldiers in Laos… were not Hmong” but Lowland Lao from regions like Savannakhet. (CSPAN video)
Thai and Other Volunteers:
Thai irregular units, e.g. Project Unity battalions and Thai Forward Air Guides, were a major force multiplication in support of both Lao and Hmong irregular units de to the depleaton in numbers of Lao and Hmong youth available for recruitment into the irregular forces. Between 1961 and 1970 the Lao and Hmong populations suffered casualties in greater numbers than could be equally replaces.
2. Lack of CIA Documentation
Incomplete Records:
The CIA’s focus on operational secrecy and its reliance on oral agreements with local leaders (e.g., Hmong General Vang Pao) led to minimal written records of non-Hmong irregulars. Many Lao Loum and Lao Theung units operated under Lao officers whose service details were not formally archived.
Hmong-CIA Publicity:
The Hmong became the most publicized group due to their close collaboration with the CIA in northern Laos (e.g., Operation Momentum) and their later refugee resettlement in the U.S., which drew media attention. By contrast, Lowland Lao forces in southern Laos received less visibility despite their larger numbers.
3. Evidence for Hmong Minority Status
Declassified CIA Sources:
A 1996 C-SPAN seminar featuring CIA officers confirmed that Hmong were one of many ethnic groups recruited, with Lowland Lao forming the backbone of SGUs in key regions.
Post-War Advocacy:
Organizations like the Coalition of Allied Vietnam Veterans (CAVWV) have highlighted the exclusion of non-Hmong groups from U.S. recognition programs, arguing that the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 inadvertently erased contributions from Lao Loum and Lao Theung veterans.
Why the Misconception Persists
Media Focus:
Cold War-era press coverage centered on the Hmong’s role in the “Secret War,” overshadowing other groups.
Post-War Refugee Narratives:
The Hmong diaspora’s advocacy in the U.S. amplified their historical role, while non-Hmong Lao veterans lacked similar platforms.
CIA Declassification Bias:
Declassified documents disproportionately detail Hmong operations, reflecting the CIA’s northern Laos focus rather than the broader conflict.

Conclusion
Reliable evidence shows the Hmong were not a majority of Lao irregular forces but were overrepresented in U.S. narratives due to geopolitical factors and post-war advocacy. The CIA’s incomplete documentation and media emphasis on the Hmong’s northern operations have perpetuated this imbalance, obscuring the contributions of Lao Loum, Lao Theung, and Thai volunteers.

Claim: The Hmong operated along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

This is not True.  Roadwatch teams and other operations along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos during the Vietnam War were primarily manned by Low Land Lao or Lao Loum  Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU) and Royal Lao Army soldiers, often ethnic Lao Theung, Lao Loum and covert South Veitnmese team members also contributed to the effort. These teams were trained and supported by United States Army Special Forces in covert training Camps in Thailand. Their role was to monitor and report on North Vietnamese troop and supply movements along the trail, often under dangerous conditions. According to Richard Holme the CIA Chief of Station in Laos from 1962 to 1964, the Ho Chi Minh Trail began in Military Region 3 in Central Laos, primarily through the the strategically important Mu Gia pass though the mountains of Laos. His accounts can be found in the C-SPAN clip here: 
https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/user-clip-road-watch-operation-and-the-ho-chi-minh-trail/5160439

Section V. - Links to videos of hearings

Link to the House Veterans Committee Hearing;
​Minnesota House Veterans and Military Affairs Division, April 2, 2025 Hearing
Link to the Senate Veterans Hearing:
Link to the Senate State and Local Government Hearing: on SF568 - 
https://www.lrl.mn.gov/media/file?mtgid=1051265
Link to the Senate Finance Committee Hearing: on SF568 - April 10, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/live/xJNOC3G9b1U?si=M-F_IavUJzO0GJj0

The Coalition of Allied Vietnam War Veterans is a registered 501c3 non profit incorporated in the State of Minnesota