Mr. Speaker. I am proud that after a long and arduous process. the summary forced repatriation policy against Lao and Hmong refugees in Thailand was reversed this year. We are very fortunate that a small dedicated group of individuals persisted in their effort to end this policy. Mr. Speaker. many of the Lao and Hmong refugees being forced back to the Communist regime in Lao they fled were former combat veterans. They fought as staunch allies alongside the U.S. military and Central Intelligence Agency during the Vietnam war. Thousands of Lao and Hmong veterans and their families in the Ban Napho camp in Thailand have now been given political asylum in the United States. Some will join relatives in my congressional district in Wisconsin. Critical to the success of the policy battle were a number of key individuals who played a leadership role in the enormous and intense struggle to free the Lao Hmong refugees. In particular. I would like to cite the efforts of Maj.
Keywords matched
refugees