[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 196 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

  2d Session
S. RES. 196

Recognizing, and calling on all Americans to recognize, the courage and 
 sacrifice of Senator John McCain and the members of the Armed Forces 
 held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and stating that 
the American people will not forget that more than 2,000 members of the 
Armed Forces remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict and will 
  continue to press for the fullest possible accounting for all such 
                 members whose whereabouts are unknown.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 17, 1998

  Mr. Lott (for himself, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Warner, Mr. Kempthorne, Mr. 
 Hatch, Mr. Coats, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Allard, Mr. 
 Ashcroft, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, 
  Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Bryan, Mr. Bumpers, Mr. 
 Burns, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Cochran, 
  Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Coverdell, Mr. Craig, Mr. D'Amato, Mr. 
 DeWine, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Enzi, Mr. 
   Faircloth, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Ford, Mr. Frist, Mr. 
Glenn, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Graham, Mr. Gramm, Mr. Grams, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
   Gregg, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Helms, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. 
   Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Johnson, Mr. 
 Kennedy, Mr. Kerrey, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
 Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Mack, 
    Mr. McCain, Mr. McConnell, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Moseley-Braun, Mr. 
Moynihan, Mr. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nickles, Mr. Reed, Mr. Reid, 
  Mr. Robb, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Roth, Mr. Santorum, Mr. 
  Sarbanes, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr. 
 Smith of Oregon, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Thomas, Mr. 
 Thompson, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Wellstone, and Mr. Wyden) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing, and calling on all Americans to recognize, the courage and 
 sacrifice of Senator John McCain and the members of the Armed Forces 
 held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and stating that 
the American people will not forget that more than 2,000 members of the 
Armed Forces remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict and will 
  continue to press for the fullest possible accounting for all such 
                 members whose whereabouts are unknown.

Whereas participation by the United States Armed Forces in combat operations in 
        Southeast Asia during the period from 1964 through 1972 resulted in 
        several hundreds of members of the United States Armed Forces being 
        taken prisoner by North Vietnamese, Pathet Lao, and Viet Cong enemy 
        forces;
Whereas John McCain's A-4E Skyhawk was shot down over Hanoi, North Vietnam on 
        October 26, 1967, and he remained in captivity until March 14, 1973;
Whereas John McCain's aircraft was shorn of it's right wing by a surface-to-air 
        missile and he plunged toward the ground at about 400 knots prior to 
        ejecting;
Whereas upon ejection, John McCain's right knee and both arms were broken;
Whereas John McCain was surrounded by an angry mob who kicked him and spit on 
        him, stabbed him with bayonets and smashed his shoulder with a rifle;
Whereas United States prisoners of war in Southeast Asia were held in a number 
        of facilities, the most notorious of which was Hoa Lo Prison in downtown 
        Hanoi, dubbed the ``Hanoi Hilton'' by the prisoners held there;
Whereas historians of the Vietnam war have recorded that ``no American reached 
        the prison camp of Hoa Lo in worse condition than John McCain'';
Whereas his North Vietnamese captors recognized that John McCain came from a 
        distinguished military family and caused him to suffer special beatings, 
        special interrogations, and the cruel offer of a possible early release;
Whereas John McCain sat in prison in Hanoi for over 5 years, risking death from 
        disease and medical complications resulting from his injuries, 
        steadfastly refusing to cooperate with his enemy captors because his 
        sense of honor and duty would not permit him to even consider an early 
        release based on special advantage;
Whereas knowing his refusal to leave early may well result in his own death from 
        his injuries John McCain told another prisoner ``I don't think that's 
        the right thing to do . . . . They'll have to drag me out of here'';
Whereas following the Paris Peace Accords of January 1973, 591 United States 
        prisoners of war were released from captivity by North Vietnam;
Whereas the return of these prisoners of war to United States control and to 
        their families and comrades was designated Operation Homecoming;
Whereas many members of the United States Armed Forces who were taken prisoner 
        as a result of ground or aerial combat in Southeast Asia have not 
        returned to their loved ones and their whereabouts remain unknown;
Whereas United States prisoners of war in Southeast Asia were routinely 
        subjected to brutal mistreatment, including beatings, torture, 
        starvation, and denial of medical attention;
Whereas the hundreds of United States prisoners of war held in the Hanoi Hilton 
        and other facilities persevered under terrible conditions;
Whereas the prisoners were frequently isolated from each other and prohibited 
        from speaking to each other;
Whereas the prisoners nevertheless, at great personal risk, devised a means to 
        communicate with each other through a code transmitted by tapping on 
        cell walls;
Whereas then-Commander James B. Stockdale, United States Navy, who upon his 
        capture on September 9, 1965, became the senior POW officer present in 
        the Hanoi Hilton, delivered to his men a message that was to sustain 
        them during their ordeal, as follows: Remember, you are Americans. With 
        faith in God, trust in one another, and devotion to your country, you 
        will overcome. You will triumph;
Whereas the men held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict truly 
        represent all that is best about America;
Whereas Senator John McCain of Arizona has continued to honor the Nation with 
        devoted service; and
Whereas the Nation owes a debt of gratitude to John McCain and all of these 
        patriots for their courage and exemplary service: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses its gratitude for, and calls upon all 
        Americans to reflect upon and show their gratitude for, the 
        courage and sacrifice of John McCain and the brave men who were 
        held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict, 
        particularly on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of 
        Operation Homecoming, and the return to the United States of 
        Senator John McCain; and
            (2) acting on behalf of all Americans--
                    (A) will not forget that more than 2,000 members of 
                the United States Armed Forces remain unaccounted for 
                from the Vietnam conflict; and
                    (B) will continue to press for the fullest possible 
                accounting for such members.
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