July 15, 2025
Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Daines) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
December 18, 2025
Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble
Commemorating 30 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam on July 11, 2025.
Whereas, since the end of the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese have resettled in and built vibrant communities across the United States, which contribute to the rich diversity of our Nation;
Whereas joint efforts across the administrations of President Ronald Reagan and President George H. W. Bush to address questions surrounding United States servicemembers missing in action (MIA) set the foundation for the normalization of bilateral relations between the United States and Vietnam;
Whereas, between 1991 and 1993, the Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs of the Senate conducted public hearings and issued an extensive report on prisoner of war (POW) and MIA issues, helping to lay the domestic political foundation for subsequent breakthroughs in United States-Vietnam relations;
Whereas efforts to identify and return the remains of service members missing in action on both the United States and Vietnamese sides, alongside unexploded ordnance removal, dioxin remediation, disability programs supporting survivors impacted by these war remnants, and efforts to continue public education on these topics have contributed to ongoing war legacy programs, which are a vital component of the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and the United States;
Whereas section 521 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103–236) expressed the Senate’s support for the normalization of relations with Vietnam and sent an important political signal to the Executive branch on moving ahead with diplomatic normalization;
Whereas, on February 4, 1994, President Bill Clinton lifted the trade embargo, which had been in place since the end of the Vietnam War, paving the way for the announcement of a normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam on July 11, 1995;
Whereas significant progress has been made in the bilateral relationship since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam, leading to cooperation between the governments and peoples of the United States and Vietnam in an array of areas, extending to political, economic, and cultural ties;
Whereas, in January of 2001, Congress passed the bipartisan Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000 (title II of division B of Public Law 106–554) to promote reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam through an international exchange program between the 2 countries, which allowed Vietnamese nationals to pursue advanced studies in the United States and United States citizens to teach in the fields of science, mathematics, medicine, and technology in Vietnam;
Whereas, in September and October of 2001, respectively, the House of Representatives and the Senate approved measures to implement a bilateral trade agreement negotiated during the Presidency of Bill Clinton, which was subsequently signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 3, 2001;
Whereas, in December 2006, Congress granted permanent normal trade relations status to Vietnam under title IV of division D of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–432);
Whereas, on July 25, 2013, President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Trương Tan Sang agreed to establish a comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the United States based on the principles of respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, respect for political institutions, independence and sovereignty, and each other's territorial integrity;
Whereas, on May 23, 2016, President Barack Obama announced the removal of remaining United States restrictions on the sale of lethal weapons and related services to Vietnam, following President George W. Bush’s 2007 decision to permit case-by-case sales of nonlethal defense items and defense services and President Obama’s 2014 decision to partially ease United States restrictions on the transfer of lethal weapons and articles to Vietnam;
Whereas President Donald Trump became the first United States President to visit Vietnam twice in one presidential term, including a November 2017 state visit during which President Trump and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang—
(1)
concluded a 3-year Plan of Action for Defense Cooperation to increase bilateral naval activities;
(2)
agreed on the first visit of a United States aircraft carrier (the USS Carl Vinson) to Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War;
(3)
reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation, overflight, and unfettered commerce in the South China Sea and a bilateral commitment to a rules-based approach to resolving maritime disputes;
(4)
celebrated the conclusion of a joint effort to clean dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment in Da Nang, Vietnam;
(5)
welcomed the United States' commitment to contribute to dioxin remediation efforts at Bien Hoa Airport; and
(6)
pledged to increase bilateral trade and investment relations, including $12,000,000,000 in commercial agreements;
Whereas, on September 10, 2023, President Joe Biden and General Secretary Nguyen Phú Trong issued a Joint Communiqué that—
(1)
upgraded the bilateral relationship between the United States and Vietnam to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership;
(2)
celebrated the expansion of dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Air Base, extending the bilateral partnership agreement into 2028, and expanding unexploded ordnance tracking and clearance activities;
(3)
recognized considerable progress made in the bilateral relationship in a short, 10-year period; and
(4)
underscored fundamental principles guiding United States–Vietnam relations and respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity;
Whereas, on October 26, 2025, the United States and Vietnam agreed to a Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade, which will bolster United States national and economic security, expand bilateral trade, and strengthen supply chain security;
Whereas the United States and Vietnam have formed a partnership in promoting peace, cooperation, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific region, including by—
(1)
recognizing the strategic importance of free and open access to the South China Sea; and
(2)
continuing programs initiated during the administrations of President Obama, President Trump, and President Biden to help Vietnam enhance its maritime capabilities;
Whereas, throughout these positive developments, Congress has consistently offered strong bipartisan support for the continuation and eventual completion of war legacy programs in Vietnam as the basis on which the bilateral relationship was established 30 years ago;
Whereas the United States and Vietnam will continue to deepen cooperation in a wide range of areas, including political and diplomatic relations, economic trade and investment, science and technology, education and health, cultural and people-to-people ties, defense and security, regional and global issues, and the promotion and protection of internationally-recognized human rights, to ensure the interests of the people in the United States and in Vietnam and to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity around the world: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)
recognizes—
(A)
the significance of the 30th anniversary of normalization of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Vietnam; and
(B)
the strong and enduring relationship built by the United States and Vietnam based on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to peace and prosperity;
(2)
honors the contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the United States during the past 50 years, including—
(A)
their tireless commitment to strengthening ties between the United States and Vietnam; and
(B)
facilitating reconciliation and economic prosperity between the 2 countries;
(3)
honors—
(A)
the service of members of the United States Armed Forces who fought in Vietnam, including those who gave their lives in the conflict; and
(B)
United States veteran-led initiatives established and dedicated to engaging in reconciliation efforts with the Vietnamese people;
(4)
expresses the commitment of the United States to the sustained continuation of funding and operational support to war legacy programs in Vietnam foundational to the bilateral relationship, including—
(A)
dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Airport;
(B)
unexploded ordnance removal;
(C)
support for persons with disabilities;
(D)
capacity building in provincial and national efforts on mine action; and
(E)
accounting for Vietnamese missing and fallen soldiers from the war;
(5)
acknowledges the significant progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation, including political and diplomatic relations, trade and economic ties, defense and security, and people-to-people exchanges, including the United States-supported Fulbright University, Vietnam’s first independent nonprofit higher education institution;
(6)
reaffirms the commitment of the United States to sustaining and building on the partnership officially established in the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2023, underscored by the fundamental principles guiding the bilateral relationship, including respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and
(7)
expresses—
(A)
the determination of the United States to continue strengthening cooperation with Vietnam across sectors; and
(B)
the vital importance of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Vietnam to addressing shared challenges and promoting continued peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.