HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2025-4649
HR 4649
By Representatives Thai, Entenman, Duerr, Ryu, Abell, Parshley, Eslick, Zahn, Chase, Taylor, and Cortes
WHEREAS, In the spring of 1975, the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam and the reduction of aid displaced hundreds of thousands of Southeast Asian refugees; and
WHEREAS, In response, Governor Daniel Evans of Washington state recognized the humanitarian crisis and took decisive action to welcome refugees seeking safety and new opportunities; and
WHEREAS, President Gerald Ford initiated Operation Babylift to bring Vietnamese orphans to the United States, with a Pan Am 747 carrying 407 orphans landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on April 6, 1975; and
WHEREAS, Washington Secretary of State Bruce Chapman emphasized America's moral obligation to support displaced people and provide them with opportunities for resettlement; and
WHEREAS, Governor Evans declared Washington's readiness to accommodate refugees, creating a task force to oversee their resettlement and ensure their successful integration; and
WHEREAS, On May 20, 1975, the first group of 34 refugees arrived at Camp Murray, where pre-World War II cottages were refurbished to provide temporary housing; and
WHEREAS, The Washington community demonstrated extraordinary support by donating resources, volunteering, and establishing host family programs; and
WHEREAS, President Ford provided support for the nationwide relocation of refugees and appointed Governor Evans to a Presidential Refugee Advisory Committee; and
WHEREAS, By Christmas 1975, 4,052 Southeast Asian refugees had settled in Washington, making it home to the fifth-largest Indochinese refugee population in the United States; and