[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 444 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 444

  Extending the thanks of Congress and the Nation to the Defense POW/
 Missing Personnel Office, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command of the 
Department of Defense, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, 
  the Air Force Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory, and the military 
departments 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

                             June 29, 2006

   Mr. Simmons (for himself, Mr. Evans, Ms. Bordallo, Ms. Millender-
  McDonald, and Mr. Ruppersberger) 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, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command of the 
Department of Defense, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, 
  the Air Force Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory, and the military 
departments 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 process of 
        investigation, analysis, recovery, and fullest possible accounting of 
        Americans missing as a result of the Nation's previous conflicts;
Whereas the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), located on the island of 
        Oahu in Hawaii, is charged with the mission of achieving the fullest 
        possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the Nation's 
        previous conflicts;
Whereas the laboratory portion of that command, referred to as the Central 
        Identification Laboratory, is the largest forensic anthropology 
        laboratory in the world;
Whereas the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), located in 
        Rockville, Maryland, is one of the leading laboratories in the world for 
        processing degraded skeletal remains and family references for 
        mitochondrial DNA;
Whereas the Air Force Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory (LSEL), located in San 
        Antonio, Texas, houses the most comprehensive technical library and 
        collection of life sciences equipment used by the U.S. military, to 
        include analysts for artifact identification;
Whereas National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one of the six 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 June 28, 2006, 86 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 June 28, 2006, the remains of 604 Americans have been repatriated 
        from Vietnam, identified, and returned to their families;
Whereas as of June 28, 2006, 95 Joint Field Activities have been conducted in 
        Laos in hopes of bringing home remains of Americans unaccounted for from 
        the Vietnam War;
Whereas as of June 28, 2006, the remains of 208 Americans have been repatriated 
        from Laos, identified, and returned to their families;
Whereas as of June 28, 2006, 35 Joint Field Activities have been conducted in 
        Cambodia in hopes of bringing home remains of Americans unaccounted for 
        from the Vietnam War;
Whereas as of June 28, 2006, the remains of 29 Americans have been repatriated 
        from Cambodia, identified, and returned to their families;
Whereas in June 2006 the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA 
        Affairs met with senior Vietnamese officials to follow-up on proposals 
        made during previous visits; and
Whereas the United States has a historic commitment to the recovery of and full 
        accounting for Americans who are missing from the Nation's wars and 
        conflicts: 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), the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command 
        of the Department of Defense, the Armed Forces DNA 
        Identification Laboratory, the Air Force Life Sciences 
        Equipment Laboratory, and the military departments 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 those offices, commands, and laboratories in 
        the United States and 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) encourages the United States Government to use all 
        available means to continue the mission described in paragraph 
        (1) at current or greater levels until the fullest possible 
        accounting is achieved;
            (5) recognizes that the efforts and involvement of POW/MIA 
        families and veterans contribute significantly to the fullest 
        possible accounting of missing Americans;
            (6) recognizes the assistance of host nations in supporting 
        the efforts of the United States Government to achieve the 
        fullest possible accounting of all Americans unaccounted for as 
        a result of the Nation's previous conflicts;
            (7) recognizes and honors the eight Americans and nine 
        Vietnamese who have paid the ultimate price in supporting the 
        mission of fullest possible accounting, 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;
            (8) 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
            (9) 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>