Extending the appreciation of Congress and the Nation to the Department of Defense organizations, military departments, and personnel engaged in the mission to achieve the fullest possible accounting for all Americans unaccounted for as a result of the Nation's wars, to the POW/MIA families and veterans who support the mission, and to foreign nations that assist in the mission.

        [Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 444 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 444

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 14, 2006

Received and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Extending the appreciation of Congress and the Nation to the Department
of Defense organizations, military departments, and personnel engaged
in the mission to achieve the fullest possible accounting for all
Americans unaccounted for as a result of the Nation's wars, to the POW/
MIA families and veterans who support the mission, and to foreign
nations that assist in the mission.

Whereas the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO), an element of the
Office of the Secretary of Defense, exercises policy, control and
oversight within the Department of Defense of the process of
investigation, analysis, recovery, and fullest possible accounting of
Americans missing as a result of the Nation's previous wars and
conflicts;
Whereas the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), located on the island of
Oahu in Hawaii, is charged with the mission of conducting
investigations, analysis, recovery, and identifications to achieve the
fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the
Nation's wars and conflicts;
Whereas the laboratory portion of that command, referred to as the Central
Identification Laboratory, is the largest forensic anthropology
laboratory in the world;
Whereas the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), located in
Rockville, Maryland, is one of the leading laboratories in the world for
processing degraded skeletal remains and family references for
mitochondrial DNA;
Whereas the Air Force Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory (LSEL), located in San
Antonio, Texas, houses the most comprehensive technical library and
collection of life sciences equipment used by the Armed Forces, to
include analysts for artifact identification;
Whereas National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one of the six days specified in
section 902 of title 36, United States Code, as days on which the
National League of Families POW/MIA flag is to be flown over specified
Federal facilities and national cemeteries, post offices, and military
installations;
Whereas as of September 15, 2006, the remains of 60 Americans unaccounted for
from the Korean War have been recovered, and these remains have been
repatriated, identified, and returned to their families;
Whereas as of September 15, 2006, the remains of more than 375 Americans
unaccounted for from World War II, the Cold War, and other conflicts
fought by the United States have been recovered throughout the world,
and these remains have been repatriated, identified, and returned to
their families;
Whereas the improved access of representatives of the United States to
information in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Lao People's
Democratic Republic, and the Kingdom of Cambodia has resulted in the
recovery and repatriation of the remains of Americans unaccounted for
from the Vietnam War;
Whereas as of September 15, 2006, 216 Joint Field Actions have been conducted in
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which has resulted in the recovery of the
remains of 841 Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, and these
remains have been repatriated, identified, and returned to their
families;
Whereas the United States has a historic commitment to the recovery of, and the
fullest accounting of, Americans who are missing as a result of the
Nation's wars and conflicts; and
Whereas every member of the United States Armed Forces who is unaccounted for as
a result of service to the Nation is equally important, regardless of
the time or place of the war or conflict: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) recognizes that National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one
of the six days specified by section 902 of title 36, United
States Code, as days on which the National League of Families
POW/MIA flag is to be flown over specified Federal facilities
and national cemeteries, military installations, and post
offices;
(2) applauds the personnel of the Defense POW/Missing
Personnel Office, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command of the
Department of Defense, the Armed Forces DNA Identification
Laboratory, the Air Force Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory,
and the military departments for continuing their mission of
achieving the fullest possible accounting of all Americans
unaccounted for as a result of the Nation's previous wars and
conflicts;
(3) extends its appreciation and the appreciation of the
people of the United States to the personnel of those offices,
commands, and laboratories in the United States, the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and
the Kingdom of Cambodia for their efforts to achieve the
fullest possible accounting of all Americans who remain
unaccounted for as a result of the Vietnam War;
(4) encourages the United States Government to use all
available means to continue the mission described in paragraph
(2) at current or greater levels until the fullest possible
accounting missing Americans is achieved;
(5) recognizes that the efforts and involvement of POW/MIA
families and veterans contribute significantly to the fullest
possible accounting of missing Americans;
(6) recognizes the assistance of host nations in supporting
the efforts of the United States Government to achieve the
fullest possible accounting of all Americans unaccounted for as
a result of the Nation's previous wars and conflicts;
(7) extends its appreciation to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia
for continued assistance and cooperation in the humane
recovery, repatriation, and identification of the remains of
Americas still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War; and
(8) encourages all host nations to assist and cooperate in
the humane recovery, repatriation, and identification of the
remains of Americans unaccounted for as a result of the
Nation's previous wars and conflicts.

Passed the House of Representatives September 13, 2006.

Attest:

KAREN L. HAAS,

Clerk.