IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 83
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Government of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia and its President Slobodan Milosevic release the
three illegally detained United States servicemen and abide by the Geneva
Convention protocols regarding the treatment of both prisoners of war
and innocent civilians.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 12, 1999
Mrs. NAPOLITANO (for herself, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. TURNER, Mr. RODRIGUEZ,
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. MATSUI, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr.
PALLONE, Mr. HOYER, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr.
GEJDENSON, Mr. GEPHARDT, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. SKEL-
TON, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. FILNER, Mrs. CLAYTON,
Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. CAPUANO,
Mr. WEINER, Mr. FROST, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mrs.
MALONEY of New York, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. HAYES, Mrs. MEEK of Flor-
ida, and Ms. WATERS) submitted the following concurrent resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in
addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Government
of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its President
Slobodan Milosevic release the three illegally detained
United States servicemen and abide by the Geneva Con-
vention protocols regarding the treatment of both pris-
oners of war and innocent civilians.
•HCON 83 IH
Whereas United States Army Staff Sgt. Andrew A. Ramirez,
24, of Los Angeles; Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Stone, 25,
of Smiths Creek, Michigan and San Antonio Texas, and
Spc. Steven M. Gonzales, 21, of Huntsville, Texas were
abducted from Macedonian territory by Serb forces on
March 31, 1999, while patrolling the Kumanovo area 3
miles from the southern Yugoslavia border;
Whereas these 3 honorable United States soldiers, serving in
noncombatant status, are now in the custody of the Gov-
ernment of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its
President Slobodan Milosevic;
Whereas the Geneva Convention, the 1949 treaty setting
forth international protocols for the treatment of both ci-
vilians and military personnel during armed conflicts and
declared wars, stipulates that prisoners of war must at
all times be humanely treated, provided any necessary
medical assistance, protected against acts of violence or
intimidation and against insults and public curiosity and
evacuated from any area of danger;
Whereas the Geneva Convention also prohibits putting pris-
oners of war on trial for engaging in ordinary acts of
warfare for which the capturing country’s own soldiers
would not be charged;
Whereas under the Geneva Convention, the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has the right to
nonsupervised visits of prisoners to ensure they are being
treated well;
Whereas the Yugoslav Government has as yet not responded
to the ICRC’s requests; and
•HCON 83 IH
Whereas sanctions can be applied to signatories of the Gene-
va Convention for failing to abide by the convention:
Now, therefore, be it:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That—
(1) the United States Government should com-
mend the 3 detained United States soldiers for their
exemplary service, bravery, duty to their country,
and part in helping to ensure a peaceful multiethnic
democratic Kosovo on the basis of the Rambouillet
Accords;
(2) the United States Government should con-
tinue to forcefully press the Yugoslav Government
and its president Slobodan Milosevic for the uncon-
ditional release of the 3 detained United States serv-
icemen and, in the interim, demand their health and
safety, and that the International Committee of the
Red Cross be allowed to visit the servicemen and
verify their condition without supervision;
(3) the United States Government should con-
demn any move on the part of the Government of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to put the three
detained United States servicemen on trial—an act
expressly forbidden by the Geneva Convention;
(4) the United States Government should hold
the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugo-
•HCON 83 IH
slavia and its President Slobodan Milosevic person-
ally responsible for the welfare of the 3 detained
United States servicemen;
(5) the United States Government should con-
tinue to condemn the atrocities committed by the
Yugoslav Army or paramilitary forces against civil-
ians in Kosovo, particularly crimes associated with
‘‘ethnic cleansing’’; and
(6) the United States Government should sup-
port the prosecution under the Geneva Convention of
all commanders of the Yugoslav Army or para-
military forces taking part in acts of ethnic cleaning
against civilians.
Æ