[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 140 (Thursday, September 15, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 563--CALLING ON THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, OTHER 
ELEMENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO INTENSIFY 
     EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE, RECOVER, AND IDENTIFY ALL MISSING AND 
             UNACCOUNTED-FOR PERSONNEL OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. McCAIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 563

       Whereas more than 83,000 personnel of the United States are 
     still unaccounted-for around the world from past wars and 
     conflicts;
       Whereas, though recognizing that an estimated 50,000 of 
     these World War II personnel, were lost deep at sea and are 
     unlikely ever to be recovered, thousands of families and 
     friends have waited decades for the accounting of their loved 
     ones and comrades in arms;
       Whereas the families of these brave Americans deserve our 
     nation's best efforts to achieve the fullest possible 
     accounting for their missing loved ones;
       Whereas the National League of POW/MIA Families, and their 
     iconic POW/MIA flag, pioneered the accounting effort since 
     1970 and has been joined in this humanitarian quest for 
     answers by the Korean War, Cold War and World War II 
     families, fully supported by the American Legion, the 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, 
     Jewish War Veterans, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, 
     Special Forces Association, Special Operations Association, 
     Rolling Thunder, and other more recently formed groups, and 
     thousands of families are yearning and advocating for answers 
     concerning the fates of their loved ones and comrades in 
     arms;
       Whereas the mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting 
     Agency of the Department of Defense is to provide the fullest 
     possible accounting for missing members of the Armed Forces 
     of the United States, designated civilians of the Department, 
     and other designated personnel; and
       Whereas the recovery and investigation teams of the 
     Department of Defense deploy to countries around the world to 
     account as fully as possible for these missing and otherwise 
     unaccounted-for personnel of the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) calls upon the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and 
     other elements of the Department of Defense, other elements 
     of the Federal Government, and all foreign countries to 
     intensify efforts to investigate, recover, identify and 
     account as fully as possible for all missing and unaccounted-
     for personnel of the United States around the world; and
       (2) calls upon all foreign countries with information on 
     missing personnel of the United States, or with missing 
     personnel of the United States within their territories, to 
     cooperate fully with the Government of the United States to 
     provide the fullest possible accounting for all missing 
     personnel of the United States.

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