Wisconsin congressmen back Hmong burial billBy Matt Hrodey
New federal legislation would allow Hmong veterans from the secretive U.S. war in Laos to be buried in national and state cemeteries typically reserved for U.S. service members. The bill is backed by most of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation – not surprising since this state has the third largest Hmong population in the country.The bill was sponsored by Congressman Jim Costa of California (the state with the largest Hmong population), a Democrat. Three Wisconsin Democrats in the House, Steve Kagen of Northeast Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin of the Madison area and Ron Kind of Southwestern Wisconsin have signed on as co-sponsors along with Republican Tom Petri, who represents the Sheboygan and Fond du Lac areas.
The legislation would allow anyone who “served in combat support of the armed forces … including combat support of any covert action of the United States” in Laos between February 1961 and May 1975 to be interned in a national cemetery, if the veteran later became a U.S. citizen or “an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence” in this country.
During the Vietnam War, the Communist government in Laos lent its support to North Vietnam and allowed its forces to establish routes in Eastern Laos to supply attacks against U.S. soldiers. U.S. airplanes bombed Laos heavily during the war and provided support for anti-communist forces, although there was little news coverage, partly due to the Nixon Administration’s efforts to limit publicity of America’s involvement.
The Hmongs are a large ethnic group in Southeast Asia, and the Hmong Army was one of the anti-communist armies that aided U.S. forces. Many of its soldiers later immigrated to this country, including Major Lo Lee, who is now executive director of the Hmong-American Partnership in Appleton, a nonprofit that provides job placement, translation, counseling and tutoring services for Hmong refugees.
Lee says his job was to visit the families of Hmong soldiers killed in action. “I really saw the suffering of the families who had lost their fathers and their sons,” he says.
“We suffered a lot,” he adds, “and we did a good job for this country. I would love to see Congress pass this legislation.”
Costa has said he expects the bill, which he introduced in late July, to pass with bipartisan support. It’s currently pending before the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
The law would open up both state and national veterans’ cemeteries to Hmong veterans, according to the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs operates three Wisconsin Veteran Memorial Cemeteries in the state located in northern, central and southern Wisconsin. The one national cemetery located in Wisconsin, the Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee, is already full.It may be difficult for Hmong veterans to prove their military service to the U.S. government, the newspaper says. “Because of the secret nature of the war in Laos, Hmong veterans were not provided the discharge papers given to U.S. military members when the war ended.”
Hmong veterans groups have welcomed the legislation. One group, the Lao Veterans of America Institute, estimates that 7,000 Hmong veterans would receive burial services under the bill. The group’s president, Colonel Wangyee Vang, said in a statement, “Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to these patriotic individuals … We fought side-by-side with American forces and clandestine troops of the Central Intelligence Agency.”
According to Lee, “It would be a privilege for the Hmong soldiers who fought alongside the U.S. servicemen in Laos.”
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