The Oregon Senate Rules Committee moved House Concurrent Resolution 34 to the floor by recorded vote after extended testimony and a notable exchange among senators over the resolution's language about motivations for U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Representative Daniel Nguyen, sponsor of HCR 34, told the committee the resolution "designates 04/30/2025 as Vietnamese American Remembrance Day" and framed the measure as personal: he described his family's flight from Vietnam in 1975 and asked the Senate to "pass this resolution and allow us to be able to have this resolution, to be able to remind us of what we've been through and what we look forward to." He emphasized the resolution's role in community remembrance and inclusion.

Testimony and debate expanded beyond ceremony. Senator Golden proposed a "-1" amendment that would have removed a whereas clause praising the motives of U.S. involvement and thanking South Vietnamese and U.S. military personnel; Senator Golden explained to the committee that she could not support language that, in her view, "attributes a very beneficent motive to our country as motivating our involvement in Vietnam." Golden said she supports honoring the Vietnamese American community but could not accept phrasing that celebrated U.S. motives for the war.

Other senators offered contrasting views. Senator Manning and others urged passage, noting the resolution recognizes the resilience and civic contributions of the Vietnamese American community and that survivors and veterans deserve remembrance. Senator Manning referenced his military service and said returning veterans deserved respect.

Action taken: the committee recorded the motion to advance HCR 34 to the floor with a "be adopted" recommendation; the roll call recorded several ayes and at least one recorded "no" vote (Senator Golden). The chair noted the measure will be carried to the floor by Senator Pham.

Why it matters: beyond ceremonial recognition, the hearing surfaced differences about historic interpretation and how official language should address U.S. actions in Vietnam. Supporters said the resolution is intended for community remembrance and to recognize Vietnamese Americans’ contributions to Oregon.

Next steps: HCR 34 will be carried to the Senate floor for consideration; sponsors indicated they want the resolution read on April 30 and distributed to community members if the Senate concurs.

Provenance: testimony by Representative Daniel Nguyen and extended remarks by Senator Golden and Senator Manning are recorded in the May 21 Rules Committee transcript.