[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 84 (Friday, May 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1083-E1084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       RESOLVE THE POW/MIA ISSUE

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 1995
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing House Joint 
Resolution 89, a resolution that conveys bipartisan support for the 
President's stated commitment to resolve the POW/MIA issue. It states 
that we believe the President should certify to the Congress that the 
criteria he imposed in July 1993 as preconditions to further movement 
have been met before the United States takes further economic and 
political steps to improve relations with Vietnam. It reinforces the 
need for Vietnam to cooperate fully to resolve this issue which, to 
date, Vietnam has not done despite repeated pledges, even in 1994.
  The President has already more than amply rewarded the Vietnamese for 
assisting with joint field activities. In 1993, he removed United 
States opposition to Vietnam's access to international funds through 
the IMF and World Bank and waiving restrictions to allow United States 
firms to bid for contracts. In 1994, the President lifted the trade 
embargo, and a U.S. liaison office was established in Hanoi this year. 
What has been the result? Very meager--only 38 Americans accounted for 
by the Clinton administration.
  In short, the administration's policy of paying incentives is not 
working; priority U.S. objectives are not being met. Other than to 
expand opportunities for the Government of Vietnam, what is the basis 
for rushing to normalize relations with Vietnam? Before Congress should 
support any further steps to meet Hanoi's agenda, Vietnam must honor 
pledges made to the National League of Families, March 1994, and the 
Presidential delegation, July 1994, to renew and increase their 
unilateral efforts to account for missing Americans.
  The resolution is fair; it is reasonable, and should be the least 
that the Congress expects of the Commander in Chief. We are simply 
asking the President to certify to Congress that Vietnam is working 
seriously to account for missing Americans before moving forward to 
accommodate Vietnam's interests.
  We are asking that the President be certain in his own mind that the 
Vietnamese leaders are cooperating fully, no longer manipulating 
answers for the families and veterans who have waited so long. Despite 
serious concerns many have had about Vietnam's lack of good faith on 
the POW/MIA issue, the President has seen fit to move forward in 
significant ways with Vietnam. At the same time, the President has 
stated that he was taking such steps in appreciation for Vietnam's 
cooperation and to encourage them to greater efforts.
  The problem is that the approach is not working; Vietnam is not 
providing information and remains that should be the easiest to locate 
and provide. I'm referring to remains of Americans depicted in 
photographs, announced as shot down and killed--these should be the 
most readily available. Yet, 20 years since the
 fall of Saigon, and in some cases 30 years since these Americans were 
lost, Hanoi still has not provided the accounting that U.S. 
intelligence expects should be made. Yes, they are supporting field 
activities, cooperation for which they are well paid, but they are not 
accounting for Americans last known alive, in captivity or on the 
ground alive, in close proximity to Vietnamese forces, one must as 
``Why?''

  The answer is that Vietnam is achieving its objectives without 
meeting the criteria outlined by President Clinton in July 1993. The 
resolution simply expresses the sense of the Congress that the 
President should adhere to his own policy and move no further with 
Vietnam, economically or politically, until Vietnamese leaders make the 
decision to really cooperate.
  Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support House Joint Resolution 
89, and I ask that the full text of the resolution be printed in the 
Record at this point.
                              H.J. Res. 89

       Prohibiting funds for diplomatic relations and further 
     advancement of economic relations with the Socialist Republic 
     of Vietnam (SRV) unless the President certifies to Congress 
     that Vietnamese officials are being fully cooperative and 
     forthcoming with efforts to account for the 2,205 Americans 
     still missing and otherwise unaccounted for from the Vietnam 
     War, as determined on the basis of all information available 
     to the United States Government, and for other purposes.
       Whereas significant economic and political steps have 
     already been taken by the United States, including the 
     lifting of the United States trade embargo and the 
     establishment of liaison offices, to express appreciation to 
     the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for its past assistance on 
     the POW/MIA issue and to urge increased cooperation;
       Whereas, although the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has 
     continued to provide support for joint POW/MIA related field 
     activities with the United States Pacific Command, there 
     remain several last known alive discrepancy cases, photo 
     cases, and special remains cases which are not likely to be 
     resolved through such field activities, and the Socialist 
     Republic of Vietnam has not fulfilled its July, 1994, pledge 
     to the President's delegation to Hanoi to renew and increase 
     unilateral efforts to account for these missing 
     Americans; [[Page E1084]] 
       Whereas the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has not provided 
     the United States Government with access to relevant portions 
     of wartime Central Committee-level records and reports 
     concerning the number of American POWs captured during the 
     war and policies toward them, and has refused to disclose 
     additional information from Central Committee and military 
     archives concerning alleged North Vietnamese wartime reports 
     on American POWs obtained by Soviet intelligence agencies in 
     1972;
       Whereas the President informed Congress on January 26, 
     1995, that he is not fully satisfied that progress on the 
     POW/MIA issue has been sufficient to justify taking 
     additional steps toward normalization of relations with the 
     Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
       Whereas the Secretary of Defense has yet to fully respond 
     to section 1034 of Public Law 103-337, requiring that he 
     submit to Congress a complete listing by name of all 
     Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War on whom 
     it is possible that Vietnamese officials can produce 
     additional information or remains; and
       Whereas until such a complete listing is provided to the 
     Congress, an accurate assessment of the extent to which the
      Socialist Republic of Vietnam has cooperated with the United 
     States to account for missing American personnel is not 
     possible: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Vietnam POW/MIA 
     Full Disclosure Act of 1995''.

     SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.

       None of the funds made available under any provision of law 
     may be used to advance economic relations or to establish or 
     maintain diplomatic relations with the Socialist Republic of 
     Vietnam unless the President--
       (1) provides Congress with a complete listing by name of 
     all Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War on whom 
     the likelihood is greatest that the Socialist Republic of 
     Vietnam may be able to locate or provide remains or 
     additional information, as determined on the basis of all 
     information available to the United States Government;
       (2) certifies to Congress that the Socialist Republic of 
     Vietnam is cooperating fully in the 4 areas stipulated by the 
     President, namely concrete results from efforts by Vietnam to 
     recover and repatriate American remains; continued resolution 
     of discrepancy cases, live-sightings and field activities; 
     further assistance in implementing trilateral investigations 
     with the Lao; and accelerated efforts to provide all 
     documents that will help lead to the fullest possible account 
     of POW/MIAs; and
       (3) certifies to Congress, after consultation with the 
     Director of Central Intelligence, that the Socialist Republic 
     of Vietnam is being fully forthcoming in providing the United 
     States access to those portions of wartime Central Committee-
     level records and reports that pertain to the subject of 
     Americans captured or held during the war by North 
     Vietnamese, Pathet Lao, or Vietcong forces in Vietnam, Laos, 
     and Cambodia.
     

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