[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1175 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.1175

                       One Hundred Sixth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
   the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine


                                 An Act


 
   To locate and secure the return of Zachary Baumel, a United States 
         citizen, and other Israeli soldiers missing in action.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
        (1) Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen serving in the 
    Israeli military forces, has been missing in action since June 1982 
    when he was captured by forces affiliated with the Palestinian 
    Liberation Organization (PLO) following a tank battle with Syrian 
    forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Lebanon;
        (2) Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman, Israeli citizens serving in 
    the Israeli military forces, have been missing in action since June 
    1982 when they were also captured by these same forces in a tank 
    battle with Syrian forces at Sultan Ya'akub in Lebanon;
        (3) these three soldiers were last known to be in the hands of 
    a Palestinian faction splintered from the PLO and operating in 
    Syrian-controlled territory, thus making this a matter within the 
    responsibility of the Government of Syria;
        (4) diplomatic efforts to secure the release of these 
    individuals have been unsuccessful, although PLO Chairman Yasser 
    Arafat delivered one-half of Zachary Baumel's dog tag to Israeli 
    Government authorities; and
        (5) in the Gaza-Jericho agreement between the Palestinian 
    Authority and the Government of Israel of May 4, 1994, Palestinian 
    officials agreed to cooperate with Israel in locating and working 
    for the return of Israeli soldiers missing in action.

SEC. 2. ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO MISSING SOLDIERS.

    (a) Continuing Communication with Certain Governments.--The 
Secretary of State shall continue to raise the matter of Zachary 
Baumel, Yehuda Katz, and Zvi Feldman on an urgent basis with 
appropriate government officials of Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian 
Authority, and with other governments in the region and elsewhere that, 
in the determination of the Secretary, may be helpful in locating and 
securing the return of these soldiers.
    (b) Provision of Assistance to Certain Governments.--In deciding 
whether or not to provide United States assistance to any government or 
authority which the Secretary of State believes has information 
concerning the whereabouts of the soldiers described in subsection (a), 
and in formulating United States policy towards such government or 
authority, the President should take into consideration the willingness 
of the government or authority to assist in locating and securing the 
return of such soldiers.

SEC. 3. REPORTS BY SECRETARY OF STATE.

    (a) Initial Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit 
to the Committee on International Relations of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a 
written report that describes the efforts of the Secretary pursuant to 
section 2(a) and United States policies affected pursuant to section 
2(b).
    (b) Subsequent Reports.--Not later than 15 days after receiving 
from any source any additional credible information relating to the 
individuals described in section 2(a), the Secretary of State shall 
prepare and submit to the committees described in subsection (a) a 
written report that contains such additional information.
    (c) Form of Reports.--A report submitted under subsection (a) or 
(b) shall be made available to the public and may include a classified 
annex.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.