III 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 118
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
APRIL 2, 2003
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Concerning the treatment of members of the Armed Forces 
held as prisoner of war by Iraqi authorities.
Whereas the Armed Forces of the United States and military 
forces of United States coalition partners are currently 
engaged in hostilities in Iraq in prosecuting Operation 
Iraqi Freedom; 
Whereas an unknown number of members of the Armed 
Forces of the United States have been taken prisoner by 
Iraqi authorities and it is possible that, before the end of
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hostilities, additional members of the Armed Forces of 
the United States and members of other coalition forces 
may be taken prisoner by Iraqi authorities;
Whereas members of the military forces of Iraq have been 
taken prisoner by coalition armed forces; 
Whereas all such prisoners who are captured while complying 
with the laws of war are entitled to prisoner of war sta-
tus until their final release and repatriation; 
Whereas in the Convention Relative to the Treatment of Pris-
oners of War, signed at Geneva on August 12, 1949 (re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Third Geneva Convention’’), the inter-
national community has prescribed rules concerning the 
treatment of prisoners of war; 
Whereas more than 190 nations, including the United States 
and Iraq, are parties to the Third Geneva Convention; 
Whereas Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention requires 
the humane treatment of prisoners of war and that pris-
oners of war be protected against acts of violence or in-
timidation and against insults and public curiosity; 
Whereas Article 17 of the Third Geneva Convention explicitly 
prohibits the infliction of physical or mental torture and 
other forms of coercion on prisoners of war to secure 
from them information of any kind whatever and provides 
that prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be 
threatened, insulted, or exposed to unpleasant or disad-
vantageous treatment of any kind; 
Whereas Article 23 of the Third Geneva Convention provides 
that a prisoner of war may not at any time be sent to, 
or detained in areas where the prisoner may be exposed 
to the fire of the combat zone, nor may a prisoner’s pres-
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ence be used to render certain points or areas immune 
from military operations; 
Whereas the Third Geneva Convention requires that a gov-
ernment holding prisoners of war grant representatives of 
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 
free access to all prisoners of war; 
Whereas the Government of the United States has informed 
the Iraqi authorities that it intends to treat captured 
members of the Iraqi armed forces fully in accordance 
with the Third Geneva Convention and is in discussions 
with ICRC officials to facilitate access at the earliest pos-
sible time to Iraqi enemy prisoners of war held by United 
States Armed Forces; and 
Whereas Iraqi television has broadcast what appear to be pic-
tures of captured American military personnel; Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) commends the bravery and professionalism 
of the members of the Armed Forces of the United 
States and the military forces of United States coali-
tion partners; and 
(2) extends heartfelt sympathies to the families 
and loved ones of those who are killed, wounded, 
missing in action, or taken prisoner by Iraqi authori-
ties. 
SEC. 2. The Congress—
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(1) demands that Iraqi authorities comply fully 
and immediately with its obligations and responsibil-
ities of the Convention Relative to the Treatment of 
Prisoners of War; 
(2) condemns the failure of Iraqi authorities to 
treat prisoners of war in strict conformity with that 
Convention; 
(3) demands that Iraqi authorities permit the 
International Committee of the Red Cross to visit 
any and all American and coalition prisoners of war 
at the earliest possible time, in accordance with the 
requirements of that Convention; 
(4) joins the President in warning all Iraqi au-
thorities that any individual who mistreats any pris-
oner of war in violation of that Convention shall be 
considered a war criminal and prosecuted as such to 
the full extent of United States and international 
law; and 
(5) supports the President in committing the 
full effort and reach of the United States Govern-
ment to the swift and safe repatriation of all pris-
oners of war at the earliest possible moment con-
sistent with that Convention. 
SEC. 3. The Congress supports the President in seek-
ing the fullest possible accounting, at the earliest possible
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time upon the cessation of hostilities, of all members of 
the Armed Forces who are in a missing status as a result 
of operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Passed the House of Representatives March 27, 
2003. 
Attest: 
JEFF TRANDAHL, 
Clerk.