Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson is the latest politician to want to recognize the American Hmong population at the national level.
He and Democratic Senator Gary Peters from Michigan introduced the Hmong Gold Medal Act to recognize the distinguished service of the Hmong veterans who served alongside American troops in the Vietnam War by awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal.
Johnson says he’s “happy to lead with Senator Peters to ensure the Hmong people get the recognition they deserve for their dedication to the fight against communism.”
As the Vietnam War spread south, the CIA recruited and trained Hmong men to help American troops fight in the war, but following the war, 150,000 Hmong people fled the mountains of Vietnam after the North Vietnamese Army bombed and burnt down their homes.
Currently, there are over 327,000 Hmong living in the United States, including approximately 58,000 in Wisconsin.
Johnson is piggybacking off legislation introduced by 6th District Congressman Glenn Grothman trying to recognize the Hmong New Year.
1st District State Senator Andre Jaque and Two Rivers Assemblyman Shae Sortwell also have their own bills to recognize the group.
