Title: Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
Establishes the House Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs to conduct a full investigation of all unresolved matters relating to any U.S. personnel unaccounted for from the Vietnam era, the Korean conflict, World War II, Cold War Missions, the Persian Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Enduring Freedom.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 219 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 219

        Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 21, 2017

 Mr. Walker submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                         the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
        Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHING A SELECT COMMITTEE ON POW AND MIA AFFAIRS.

    There is established a select committee to be known as the Select 
Committee on POW and MIA Affairs (hereafter referred to as the ``select 
committee'').

SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS.

    The select committee shall conduct a full investigation of all 
unresolved matters relating to any United States personnel unaccounted 
for from the Vietnam era, the Korean conflict, World War II, Cold War 
Missions, Persian Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation 
Enduring Freedom, including MIAs and POWs missing and captured.

SEC. 3. APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Members.--The select committee shall be composed of 10 Members 
of the House, who shall be appointed by the Speaker. Not more than half 
of the members of the select committee shall be of the same political 
party.
    (b) Vacancy.--Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the select 
committee shall be filled in the same manner in which the original 
appointment was made.
    (c) Chairperson.--The Speaker shall designate one member of the 
select committee to be its chairperson.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES.

    (a) Authority.--For purposes of carrying out this resolution, the 
select committee (or any subcommittee of the select committee 
authorized to hold hearings) may sit and act during the present 
Congress at any time or place within the United States (including any 
Commonwealth or possession of the United States, or elsewhere, whether 
the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned) and to hold 
such hearings as it considers necessary.
    (b) Rules of Procedure.--Clauses 1, 2, and 4 of rule XI of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives shall apply to the select 
committee.
    (c) Prohibition Against Meeting at Certain Times.--Subsection (a) 
may not be construed to limit the applicability of clause 2(i) of rule 
XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives to the select 
committee.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Expenses.--There shall be paid out of the applicable accounts 
of the House such sums as may be necessary for the expenses of the 
select committee. Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed by the 
chairman of the select committee and approved in the manner directed by 
the Committee on House Administration. Amounts made available under 
this paragraph shall be expended in accordance with regulations 
prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.
    (b) Staff and Travel.--In carrying out its functions under this 
resolution, the select committee may--
            (1) appoint, either on a permanent basis or as experts or 
        consultants, any staff that the select committee considers 
        necessary;
            (2) prescribe the duties and responsibilities of the staff;
            (3) fix the compensation of the staff at a single per annum 
        gross rate that does not exceed the highest rate of basic pay, 
        as in effect from time to time, of level V of the Executive 
        Schedule in section 5316 of title 5, United States Code;
            (4) terminate the employment of any such staff as the 
        select committee considers appropriate; and
            (5) reimburse members of the select committee and of its 
        staff for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses 
        incurred by them in the performance of their functions for the 
        select committee, other than expenses in connection with any 
        meeting of the select committee, or a subcommittee thereof, 
        held in the District of Columbia.
    (c) Expiration.--The select committee and all authority granted in 
this resolution shall expire 30 days after the filing of the final 
report of the select committee with the House.

SEC. 6. REPORTS AND RECORDS.

    (a) Final Report.--As soon as practicable during the present 
Congress, the select committee shall submit to the House a final report 
setting forth its findings and recommendations as a result of its 
investigation.
    (b) Filing of Reports.--Any report made by the select committee 
when the House is not in session shall be filed with the Clerk of the 
House.
    (c) Referral of Reports.--Any report made by the select committee 
shall be referred to the committee or committees that have jurisdiction 
over the subject matter of the report.
    (d) Records, Files, and Materials.--Following the termination of 
the select committee, the records, files, and materials of the select 
committee shall be transferred to the Clerk of the House. If the final 
report of the select committee is referred to only one committee under 
the provisions of subsection (c), the records, files, and materials of 
the select committee shall be transferred instead to the committee to 
which the final report is referred.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this resolution:
            (1) The term ``Member of the House'' means any 
        Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the 
        Congress.
            (2) The term ``MIA'' means any United States personnel that 
        is unaccounted for and missing in action.
            (3) The term ``POW'' means any United States personnel that 
        is unaccounted for and known to be a prisoner of war.
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