III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 61 

Calling on the Department of Defense, other elements of the Federal Government, and foreign governments to intensify efforts to investigate, recover, 

and identify all missing and unaccounted-for personnel of the United 

States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2017 

Mr. MCCAIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Department of Defense, other elements of 

the Federal Government, and foreign governments to 

intensify efforts to investigate, recover, and identify all 

missing and unaccounted-for personnel of the United 

States. 

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; 


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•SRES 61 IS 

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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls upon the Defense POW/MIA Account3 ing Agency and other elements of the Department of 

4 Defense, other elements of the Federal Government, 

5 and all foreign governments to intensify efforts to 


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•SRES 61 IS 

1 investigate, recover, identify and account as fully as 

2 possible for all missing and unaccounted-for per3 sonnel of the United States around the world; and 

4 (2) calls upon all foreign governments with in5 formation on missing personnel of the United States, 

6 or with missing personnel of the United States with7 in their territories, to cooperate fully with the Gov8 ernment of the United States to provide the fullest 

9 possible accounting for all missing personnel of the 

10 United States. 

Æ 


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