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[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1175 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 1175

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 23, 1999

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
  To locate and secure the return of Zachary Baumel, a United States 
         citizen, and other Israeli soldiers missing in action.

    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 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.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 22, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.
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