[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 485 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 485

  Extending the thanks of Congress and the Nation to the Defense POW/
 Missing Personnel Office and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command of 
the Department of Defense and to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for 
    their efforts to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all 
       Americans unaccounted for as a result of the Vietnam War.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2004

    Mr. Simmons (for himself and Mr. Evans) submitted the following 
  concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Extending the thanks of Congress and the Nation to the Defense POW/
 Missing Personnel Office and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command of 
the Department of Defense and to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for 
    their efforts to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all 
       Americans unaccounted for as a result of the Vietnam War.

Whereas the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO), an element of the 
        Office of the Secretary of Defense, exercises policy, control and 
        oversight within the Department of Defense of the entire process for 
        investigation and recovery related to missing persons;
Whereas the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office coordinates for the Department 
        of Defense with other departments and agencies of the United States on 
        all matters concerning missing persons and establishes procedure to be 
        followed by Department of Defense boards of inquiry and by officials 
        reviewing the reports of such boards;
Whereas the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), located on the island of 
        Oahu in Hawaii, was activated on October 1, 2003, as a standing joint 
        task force of the United States Pacific Command with the mission of 
        achieving the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a 
        result of the Nation's previous conflicts;
Whereas the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command was created from the merger of the 
        30-year-old United States Army Central Identification Laboratory, 
        Hawaii, and the 11-year-old Joint Task Force-Full Accounting;
Whereas the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, commanded by a flag officer, is 
        committed and dedicated to bringing home the Nation's service members 
        and civilians who made the ultimate sacrifice;
Whereas the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command is a 425-member organization 
        comprised of handpicked members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine 
        Corps with specialized skills and Department of the Navy civilians;
Whereas the laboratory portion of that command, referred to as the Central 
        Identification Laboratory, is the largest forensic anthropology 
        laboratory in the world;
Whereas National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one of the 6 days specified by law 
        as days on which the POW/MIA flag is to be flown over specified Federal 
        facilities and national cemeteries, post offices, and military 
        installations;
Whereas as diplomatic relations of the United States with the Socialist Republic 
        of Vietnam have improved, so has access to archival information and on-
        site investigations relative to unaccounted-for Americans;
Whereas as of July 8, 2004, more than 77 Joint Field Activities have been 
        conducted in Vietnam in hopes of bringing home remains of Americans 
        unaccounted for from the Vietnam War;
Whereas as of July 8, 2004, remains of 503 Americans have been repatriated, 
        identified, and returned to their families across America;
Whereas in June 2004 the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA 
        Affairs met with senior Vietnamese officials to follow-up on proposals 
        made during previous visits;
Whereas during a recent visit Vietnamese officials agreed to allow access to 
        capitol area archives and the return of United States personnel to the 
        Central Highlands;
Whereas Vietnamese officials have allowed United States investigators to conduct 
        nearly 300 oral history interviews with Vietnamese government and 
        military officials; and
Whereas the Department of Defense has reciprocated by allowing Vietnamese 
        officials access to United States records and maps to assist their 
        search for unaccounted for Vietnamese: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) recognizes that National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one 
        of the six days specified by law (pursuant to section 902 of 
        title 36, United States Code) as days on which the POW/MIA flag 
        is to be flown over specified Federal facilities and national 
        cemeteries, military installations, and post offices;
            (2) applauds the personnel of the Defense POW/Missing 
        Personnel Office (DPMO) and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting 
        Command (JPAC) of the Department of Defense for continuing 
        their mission of achieving the fullest possible accounting of 
        all Americans unaccounted for as a result of the Nation's 
        previous conflicts;
            (3) extends the thanks of the Congress and the Nation to 
        the personnel of that office and command and to the Socialist 
        Republic of Vietnam for their efforts to achieve the fullest 
        possible accounting of all Americans who remain unaccounted for 
        as a result of the Vietnam War;
            (4) recognizes and honors the eight Americans and nine 
        Vietnamese who have paid the ultimate price in supporting that 
        full accountability mission, namely Lieutenant Colonel Rennie 
        Cory, Lieutenant Colonel George C. Martin, Major Charles E. 
        Lewis, Captain Richard M. Rees, Chief Hospital Corpsman Pedro 
        J. Gonzales, Master Sergeant Steven L. Moser, Sergeant First 
        Class Tommy J. Murphy, Technical Sergeant Robert M. Flynn, 
        Senior Colonel Tran Van Bien, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Lieutenant 
        Colonel Nguyen Van Ha, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Son, 
        Major Vu Pham The Kien, Major Nguyen Huu Nham, Lieutenant Giap 
        Thanh Ngan, Lieutenant Dang Ngoc, and Lieutenant Pham Huy Dung;
            (5) thanks the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for continued 
        assistance and cooperation in the humane recovery, 
        identification, and repatriation of the remains of American 
        personnel remaining unaccounted for from the Vietnam era; and
            (6) recognizes that the efforts and involvement of POW/MIA 
        families contribute significantly to the success of Joint POW/
        MIA Accounting Command and that that command owes a great deal 
        of gratitude to the families and veterans who support the 
        mission of that command.
                                 <all>