 Rep. Ethan Cha discusses a provision in the omnibus veterans and military affairs finance and policy bill during an April 29 news conference that would grant veteran status under state law to certain people who served with secret guerilla units or other irregular forces in Laos in Special Guerrilla Units during the Secret War in Laos. (Photo by Michele Jokinen)
In a highly partisan environment, the omnibus veterans and military affairs finance and policy bill traditionally supersedes party lines.
That continues in 2025.
Sponsored by Rep. Matt Bliss (R-Pennington), who co-chairs the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division with Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul), HF2444/SF1959* received House approval on a 126-6 vote Tuesday. As amended, it now returns to the Senate — which passed its version 65-0 April 23 — for concurrence. A conference committee will likely need to work out the differences.
“Our veterans deserve more than symbolic gestures; they deserve real and lasting change. This bill should not leave any veteran behind, not on a battlefield and certainly not in the systems that should support them when they return home,” Xiong said.
Fifty years ago Wednesday, the final U.S. helicopter left the U.S. embassy in Saigon, marking an end to the American presence in Vietnam.
The bill would honor the sacrifices made by elders of Minnesota’s Hmong community, who fought on behalf of the United States during the Secret War, a period of covert U.S. military intervention in Laos, primarily during the Vietnam War.
“This bill is to restore the spirit, the dignity and the honor of these men that have not been recognized for too long," said Rep. Ethan Cha (DFL-Woodbury) during an afternoon news conference. Read more
WATCH ▶️ House members recognize veterans of the 'Secret War' during Tuesday's floor session
WATCH ▶️ House DFL news conference on the bill
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