[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 147 (Thursday, September 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 869--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
 THIRD FRIDAY OF SEPTEMBER SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS ``NATIONAL POW/MIA 
                           RECOGNITION DAY''

  Mrs. MOODY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 869

       Whereas the term ``POW/MIA'' refers to prisoners of war and 
     missing-in-action military personnel who either are or were 
     held unwillingly by the enemy or whose whereabouts during and 
     after wartime and cease-fire remain unknown;
       Whereas, according to the Department of Defense, over 
     80,000 United States servicemembers are missing in action, 
     about 41,000 are presumed lost at sea, and approximately 
     38,000 are recoverable;
       Whereas unaccounted for personnel include Department of 
     Defense personnel, both military and civilian, civilian 
     contractors of other Federal departments and agencies, 
     employees of humanitarian agencies accredited to the Armed 
     Forces, members of civilian organizations credited with 
     active military service by the Secretary of Defense, and 
     citizens of the United States and other persons as directed 
     by the Secretary of Defense;
       Whereas the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, an agency 
     within the Department of Defense, reports the numbers for 
     POW/MIA servicemembers based on conflict to be--
       (1) 73,687 from World War II;
       (2) 8,157 from the Korean War;
       (3) 2,633 from the Vietnam War;
       (4) 128 from the Cold War; and
       (5) 6 from armed conflicts since 1991;
       Whereas, since the early 1970s when United States POW/MIA 
     recovery efforts began, the number of recovered persons based 
     on conflict have been--
       (1) 1,904 from World War II, with 71,783 still unaccounted 
     for;
       (2) 777 from the Korean War, with 7,380 still unaccounted 
     for;
       (3) 1,067 from the Vietnam War, with 1,566 still 
     unaccounted for;
       (4) 2 from the Cold War, with 126 still unaccounted for; 
     and
       (5) 0 from the Gulf wars and Libya, with 6 still 
     unaccounted for;
       Whereas roughly 75 percent of POW/MIA are in the Asia-
     Pacific region;
       Whereas, by State, the 5 States with the highest number of 
     unaccounted POW/MIA are--
       (1) New York (6,354);
       (2) California (6,306);
       (3) Pennsylvania (5,343);
       (4) Illinois (4,115); and
       (5) Texas (4,085);
       Whereas, by State, the 5 States with the highest number of 
     recovered POW/MIA are--
       (1) California (383);
       (2) New York (240);
       (3) Texas (235);
       (4) Ohio (202); and
       (5) Pennsylvania (198);
       Whereas, in 1972, the POW/MIA flag was adopted;
       Whereas, in 1982, the POW/MIA flag became the first flag to 
     fly over the White House other than the United States flag; 
     and
       Whereas the National POW/MIA Flag Act (Public Law 116-67; 
     36 U.S.C. 101 note), enacted in 2019, requires the POW/MIA 
     flag to be flown on Federal properties when the United States 
     flag is being flown: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) acknowledges that the Federal Government has the moral 
     obligation to fully account for United States POW/MIA and to 
     mitigate the number of POW/MIA in future conflicts;
       (2) expresses sincere gratitude to the POW/MIA of every 
     conflict who selflessly, bravely, and boldly fought for the 
     freedoms Americans have today at the cost of their own lives;
       (3) expresses support for the designation of ``National 
     POW/MIA Recognition Day''; and
       (4) encourages all Americans to properly honor the service 
     and sacrifice of all POW/MIA on such day by--
       (A) participating in POW/MIA commemorative celebrations in 
     local communities;
       (B) appropriately displaying the POW/MIA flag; and
       (C) performing acts of good will, compassion, and service 
     for the family members of POW/MIA.

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