Floor SpeechCeremonial2026-02-26

CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAIGON BROADCASTING TELEVISION NETWORK

TaxesTrade

Context

On 2026-02-26, Representative Derek Tran (D-CA-45) delivered a floor speech titled "CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAIGON BROADCASTING TELEVISION NETWORK" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered trade policy.

Full Text

CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAIGON BROADCASTING TELEVISION NETWORK

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E170] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAIGON BROADCASTING TELEVISION NETWORK ______ HON. DEREK TRAN of california in the house of representatives Thursday, February 26, 2026 Mr. TRAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Saigon Broadcasting Television Network, otherwise known as SBTN. SBTN, the first 24-hour Vietnamese-language television channel specifically for overseas audiences, provides premier news coverage and entertainment programs to millions of Vietnamese people abroad. For 25 years, SBTN has served as an example of the importance of a free press and the strength of the Vietnamese diaspora community. Headquartered in Garden Grove, California, SBTN was founded in 2001 by Truc Ho4, a Vietnamese American musician, producer, and human-rights advocate. The network provided programming for the rapidly growing Vietnamese community in the United States, and it soon established itself in Southern California before spreading to cities such as Boston, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. This growth eventually led SBTN to expand internationally, becoming one of the primary television networks for Vietnamese audiences living outside Vietnam. Today, SBTN offers both original programming and acquired content, including news, dramas, movies, documentaries, variety shows, music, talk shows, kids' programming, and more. What sets SBTN apart is its staunch support for free expression and democratic values. Since the network's founding, it has stood as a counter-narrative to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's state-run media, refusing to air programs produced under the communist government's control. Rather than allow Vietnamese media to be dominated by an oppressive regime, SBTN has reported on human rights abuses and political dissent, providing critical coverage to millions of its international Vietnamese viewers. The network's belief system is deeply rooted in the experiences of the Vietnamese diaspora, as much of its original audience and leadership fled persecution from communist Vietnam in search of freedom and democracy. Amid ongoing repression and censorship by the Communist Party of Vietnam, SBTN remains essential in delivering trusted, independent reporting to Vietnamese-speaking audiences around the world. I am thrilled to represent such an exemplary television network in my district, especially one whose accomplishments are so dear to my family's own experiences. The network's commitment to providing dependable news, preserving the Vietnamese language and culture, and enriching the lives and experiences of the Vietnamese community is commendable. I congratulate SBTN on its 25th anniversary and continue to be grateful for its invaluable service to our Nation. ____________________

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CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAIGON BROADCASTING TELEVISION NETWORK Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E170] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAIGON BROADCASTING TELEVISION NETWORK ______ HON. DEREK TRAN of california in the house of representatives Thursday, February 26, 2026 Mr. TRAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Saigon Broadcasting Television Network, otherwise known as SBTN. SBTN, the first 24-hour Vietnamese-language television channel specifically for overseas audiences, provides premier news coverage and entertainment programs to millions of Vietnamese people abroad. For 25 years, SBTN has served as an example of the importance of a free press and the strength of the Vietnamese diaspora community. Headquartered in Garden Grove, California, SBTN was founded in 2001 by Truc Ho4, a Vietnamese American musician, producer, and human-rights advocate. The network provided programming for the rapidly growing Vietnamese community in the United States, and it soon established itself in Southern California before spreading to cities such as Boston, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. This growth eventually led SBTN to expand internationally, becoming one of the primary television networks for Vietnamese audiences living outside Vietnam. Today, SBTN offers both original programming and acquired content, including news, dramas, movies, documentaries, variety shows, music, talk shows, kids' programming, and more. What sets SBTN apart is its staunch support for free expression and democratic values. Since the network's founding, it has stood as a counter-narrative to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's state-run media, refusing to air programs produced under the communist government's control. Rather than allow Vietnamese media to be dominated by an oppressive regime, SBTN has reported on human rights abuses and political dissent, providing critical coverage to millions of its international Vietnamese viewers. The network's belief system is deeply rooted in the experiences of the Vietnamese diaspora, as much of its original audience and leadership fled persecution from communist Vietnam in search of freedom and democracy. Amid ongoing repression and censorship by the Communist Party of Vietnam, SBTN remains essential in delivering trusted, independent reporting to Vietnamese-speaking audiences around the world. I am thrilled to represent such an exemplary television network in my district, especially one whose accomplishments are so dear to my family's own experiences. The network's commitment to providing dependable news, preserving the Vietnamese language and culture, and enriching the lives and experiences of the Vietnamese community is commendable. I congratulate SBTN on its 25th anniversary and continue to be grateful for its invaluable service to our Nation. ____________________