Letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House on the Need for a New Chancery in Saigon.

Dear Mr. President: (Dear Mr. Speaker:)

I am transmitting herewith a bill to authorize the construction of a new building to replace our damaged chancery in Saigon, Viet-Nam. In this bill I am requesting authorization of $1 million which will permit us to build a new chancery promptly. This new building may be either complete in itself or the first stage of a larger chancery, as experience dictates. In either case, it will be a dignified, efficient, economical, secure, and permanent place of business for the United States in Saigon.

This new building will be one more symbol of our solidarity with the people of Viet-Nam. It will show them that the United States has no intention of abandoning them in the face of Communist terrorism and aggression. It will show them that we intend to live up to our commitments.

This new building will also show the Communists in Hanoi and their tools in the Viet Cons that wanton murder of civilians and destruction of civilian property cannot deflect us from our stated purposes in Viet-Nam.

To emphasize this determination and resolve, I request the Congress to act promptly on this bill.

Sincerely,

LYNDON B. JOHNSON