Falls Church, VA - On October 22, 2003, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced H.R. 3360 to ensure that children born to American servicemen and Vietnamese women in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, commonly referred to as Amerasians, are accorded U.S. citizenship just like the offspring of other American fathers.

BPSOS has launched a rigorous advocacy campaign to raise the national awareness of the plight of these Amerasians. Taking the lead from the headquarters office in Falls Church, many of our branch offices have held community forums to inform their local leaders, including Houston, Philadelphia, and Springfield (MA).

Background:

The term "Amerasian" was coined as a result of the Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1988, which provided for admission of children born in Vietnam between specified dates to Vietnamese mothers and American fathers, together with their immediate relatives. Despite its popularity, the Act ignored the problems of Amerasians' citizenship status. Throughout their search for identity, Amerasians have endured poverty, a sense of non-belonging, illiteracy, and mistreatment from the Vietnamese government.

After two decades of being shunned in their motherland, where they are deemed "the dust of life", and ignored in their fatherland, where they are regarded as an embarrassment, this act will "finally close a chapter in our history that has too long denied Amerasians the opportunity to be recognized as the American citizens they are."

What you can do:

Contact your Representative in Congress, identify yourself as a constituent, and urge them to cosponsor H.R. 3360. A sample letter for your reference is below.

The Capitol Switchboard phone number is (202) 224-3121.

For information on the bill and to contact your Representatives, please go to:
http://capwiz.com/eactivist/issues/bills/?billnum=H.R.3360&congress=108
(Type your zip code in the box labeled "Take Action Now" in red.)

Sample Letter:

The Honorable ___________________ (full name)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative (last name):

I am writing you today as a constituent who strongly supports H.R. 3360, introduced by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of California, which will confer citizenship upon children born in Vietnam to American servicemen and Vietnamese women during the Vietnam War.

Although the United States has acknowledged the paternity of these children as American, we have not formally recognized them as fellow citizens. H.R. 3360 will end a drawn out search for identity for these Amerasians-a search encumbered by rejection, abuse, ridicule, abandonment and manipulation. We cannot turn our backs on our own children any longer.

As my voice in Congress, I urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 3360. Please do all that you can to make sure that this bill is made into law. I look forward to hearing your response.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your address]