[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10531-S10532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RETURN OF ZACHARY BAUMEL, A U.S. CITIZEN, AND OTHER ISRAELI SOLDIERS

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 187, H.R. 1175.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1175) to locate and secure the return of 
     Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen, and other Israeli 
     soldiers missing in action.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill 
which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with 
an amendment on page 4, line 5, to insert the word ``credible''.

                               H.R. 1175

       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 Economic and Other Assistance to Certain 
     Governments.--In deciding whether or not to provide United 
     States economic and other forms of assistance to Syria, 
     Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and other governments in 
     the region, and in deciding United States policy toward these 
     governments and authorities, the President should take into 
     consideration the willingness of these governments and 
     authorities to assist in locating and securing the return of 
     the soldiers described in subsection (a).

     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.

[[Page S10532]]

                           Amendment No. 1620

(Purpose: To amend H.R. 1175, a bill to assist in locating and securing 
   the return of Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen, and other 
                  Israeli soldiers missing in action)

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Kansas (Mr. Brownback) for Mr. Leahy 
     proposes an amendment numbered 1620.
       In H.R. 1175, replace subsection (b) of Sec. 2 with:
       On page 3 strike lines 11-20 and insert the following:
       (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.

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I strongly support this Resolution, which 
seeks to hasten the return of Zachary Baumel, a United States citizen, 
and other Israeli soldiers missing in action.
  My staff met with Mr. Baumel's mother, and she described a heart-
wrenching account of over 17 years of trying to obtain information 
about her son, Zachary, who in 1982, while serving in the Israeli 
military, was captured after a tank battle with Syrian forces in 
Lebanon. He has not been heard from since, and the only evidence she 
has recovered is half of Mr. Baumel's dog tag which was delivered by 
Yasser Arafat to the Israeli Government.
  According to the Department of State, the Palestinian Authority has 
provided information which could lead to locating and securing the 
return of Mr. Baumel. This contrasts with the total lack of cooperation 
from either Syrian or Lebanese authorities. The fact remains that Mr. 
Baumel's whereabouts remains a mystery.
  I hope this Resolution gives some solace to the families of Mr. 
Baumel and the two other Israeli soldiers who are missing. Their 
disappearance is unquestionably a matter of deep concern to the 
Congress. It is unconscionable that these families have yet to be told 
of the fate of their loved ones.
  The amendment I have offered, which modifies one provision in HR 1175 
that is of particular interest to the Foreign Operations Subcommittee 
of which I am Ranking Member, has been approved by both the House and 
Senate sponsors of the bill and the family of Mr. Baumel, and is 
supported by the State Department. It was drafted in a sincere effort 
to make it more likely that this Resolution leads to the result that 
the families intend, and to preserve the role of the United States 
Government as an honest broker in the Middle East peace process.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I urge my colleagues to support 
passage of the pending legislation, H.R. 1175, a bill to help locate 
and secure the return of Zachary Baumel, a citizen of the United 
States, and two other Israeli soldiers who have been missing in action 
for more than sixteen years. I introduced the Senate version of this 
legislation, S. 676, which has gathered the support of 34 Senate 
cosponsors, and in June, the House passed H.R. 1175 by a recorded vote 
of 415-5.
  Although information concerning the whereabouts of Sgt. Baumel and 
his comrades has been reported since their disappearance after a battle 
in Northern Lebanon in 1982, Palestinian cooperation on this situation 
has come to a halt as no new information has been forthcoming. This 
legislation requires the State Department to raise this issue with the 
Palestinian Authority and the Syrian government and requires 
cooperation on this issue to be considered in future aid to the 
Palestinian Authority.
  Mr. President, I thank Senator Helms, the Chairman of the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee, for his leadership in moving this 
legislation to the full Senate. The passage of this legislation is a 
critical step in helping the families of these soldiers who have been 
forced to live with the pain and uncertainty of this loss for more than 
16 years. Resolving the issue of these Israeli MIAs can only strengthen 
American efforts to make Middle East peace into a reality.
  I urge my colleagues to support final passage of this important piece 
of legislation.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee amendment be agreed to, the bill be read a third time and 
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any 
statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 1620) was agreed to.
  The bill (H.R. 1175), as amended, was read the third time, and 
passed.

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