[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 123 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 123

        Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 17, 2005

  Mr. King of New York submitted the following resolution; which was 
                   referred to the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
        Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.

    Resolved, 

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF SELECT COMMITTEE.

    There is established in the House of Representatives a select 
committee to be known as the Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.

SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS.

    The select committee shall conduct a full investigation of all 
unresolved matters relating to any United States personnel unaccounted 
for from the Vietnam era, the Korean conflict, World War II, Cold War 
Missions, or Gulf War, including MIA's and POW's.

SEC. 3. APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Members.--The select committee shall be composed of 10 Members 
of the House, who shall be appointed by the Speaker. Not more than half 
of the members of the select committee shall be of the same political 
party.
    (b) Vacancy.--Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the select 
committee shall be filled in the same manner in which the original 
appointment was made.
    (c) Chairperson.--The Speaker shall designate one member of the 
select committee to be its chairperson.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES.

    (a) Authority.--For purposes of carrying out this resolution, the 
select committee (or any subcommittee of the select committee 
authorized to hold hearings) may sit and act during the present 
Congress at any time or place within the United States (including any 
Commonwealth or possession of the United States, or elsewhere, whether 
the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned) and to hold 
such hearings as it considers necessary.
    (b) Rules of Procedure.--The provisions of clauses 1, 2, and 4 of 
rule XI of the Rules of the House shall apply to the select committee.
    (c) Prohibition Against Meeting at Certain Times.--Subsection (a) 
may not be construed to limit the applicability of clause 2(i) of rule 
XI of the Rules of the House to the select committee.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Expenses.--Subject to the adoption of expense resolutions as 
required by clause 6 of rule X of the Rules of the House, the select 
committee may incur expenses in connection with its functions under 
this resolution.
    (b) Staff and Travel.--In carrying out its functions under this 
resolution, the select committee may--
            (1) appoint, either on a permanent basis or as experts or 
        consultants, any staff that the select committee considers 
        necessary;
            (2) prescribe the duties and responsibilities of the staff;
            (3) fix the compensation of the staff at a single per annum 
        gross rate that does not exceed the highest rate of basic pay, 
        as in effect from time to time, of level V of the Executive 
        Schedule in section 5316 of title 5, United States Code;
            (4) terminate the employment of any such staff as the 
        select committee considers appropriate; and
            (5) reimburse members of the select committee and of its 
        staff for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses 
        incurred by them in the performance of their functions for the 
        select committee, other than expenses in connection with any 
        meeting of the select committee, or a subcommittee thereof, 
        held in the District of Columbia.
    (c) Expiration.--The select committee and all authority granted in 
this resolution shall expire 30 days after the filing of the final 
report of the select committee with the House, or just prior to noon on 
January 3, 2007, whichever occurs first.

SEC. 6. REPORTS AND RECORDS.

    (a) Final Report.--As soon as practicable during the present 
Congress, the select committee shall submit to the House a final report 
setting forth its findings and recommendations as a result of its 
investigation.
    (b) Filing of Reports.--Any report made by the select committee 
when the House is not in session shall be filed with the Clerk of the 
House.
    (c) Referral of Reports.--Any report made by the select committee 
shall be referred to the committee or committees that have jurisdiction 
over the subject matter of the report.
    (d) Records, Files, and Materials.--Following the termination of 
the select committee, the records, files, and materials of the select 
committee shall be transferred to the Clerk of the House. If the final 
report of the select committee is referred to only one committee under 
the provisions of subsection (c), the records, files, and materials of 
the select committee shall be transferred instead to the committee to 
which the final report is referred.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this resolution:
            (1) The term ``Member of the House'' means any 
        Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the 
        Congress.
            (2) The term ``MIA'' means any United States personnel that 
        is unaccounted for and missing in action.
            (3) The term ``POW'' means any United States personnel that 
        is unaccounted for and known to be a prisoner of war.
            (4) The term ``select committee'' means the Select 
        Committee on MIA and POW Affairs established by this 
        resolution.
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