HRES 111 IH

Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.

Mr. KING of New York submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules

Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.

Resolved,That there is established in the House of Representatives a select committee to be known as the Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.

FUNCTIONS

Sec. 2. 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, or Gulf War, including MIA's and POW's.

APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 3. (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.

AUTHORITY AND PROCEDURES

Sec. 4. (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- The provisions of clauses 1, 2, and 4 of rule XI of the Rules of the House 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 to the select committee.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Sec. 5. (a) Expenses- Subject to the adoption of expense resolutions as required by clause 6 of rule X of the Rules of the House, the select committee may incur expenses in connection with its functions under this resolution.

(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, or just prior to noon on January 5, 2009, whichever occurs first.

REPORTS AND RECORDS

Sec. 6. (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.

DEFINITIONS

Sec. 7. For purposes of 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.

(4) The term `select committee' means the Select Committee on MIA and POW Affairs established by this resolution.

Co-Sponsors -- As of today, H.Res. 111 has 77 co-sponsors.  We thank you all for your hard work on H.Res 111.   Your efforts are paying off.    A special tip of the hat to all the folks in Minnesota.   That state has 100% co-sponsorship for H.Res 111.

However, our work is not finished.   H.Res 111 needs many more co-sponsors.    You know the routine by now.   Write, call, fax, email, vist the local congressional office.   There is a toll free number to contact your congressional representative.  That number is 1-866-727-4894.   Ask for your congressional representative.    Once you are connected to their office ask to speak with the person who handles Military/POW/MIA matters.

Not sure if your congressional representative is a co-sponsor?  

Visit  www.nationalalliance.org/legis/110congress.htm

There is a full list of Congressional Representatives.   If your Congressional Representatives name is in RED,  they are a cosponsor.   If they are not red, give them a call, send the fax and do it again until they sign on.

Hate writing letters.   No problem.  There is a sample letter at www.nationalalliance.org/legis/sample.htm

Use the sample or write your own letter.

List of Supporters for H.Res 111 continues to grow. The following organizations have endorsed H.Res 111 – the Korea-Cold War Families of the Missing, World War II Families for Return of the Missing,   the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the POW Network, the Colorado POW/MIA Coalition, VietNow National, Northeast POW/MIA Network ,Tri-County Council Vietnam Era Vet, Help Free Our POW/MIA's Now, Lima Area MIA/POW, Vietnam and All Veterans of Florida Inc., State Coalition, Chained Eagles of Ohip, Solutions Results, Inc: T/A POW FOIA Litigation Acct's, the American Legion,  Veterans of Foreign War, Rolling Thunder National,  and the National Alliance of Families.

We’ve set up a web page providing you with the text of H.Res 111, a contact list for Congressional Representatives, with email links and fax numbers. There is also a sample letter. Use it, change it or write your own letter. This information may be accessed from our website. Follow the links.

Text of H.Res 111 visit

www.nationalalliance.org/legis/hres111.htm

Contact List for Congressional Representatives

www.nationalalliance.org/legis/110congress.htm

Sample Letter

www.nationalalliance.org/legis/sample.htm

Seven Reasons We Need H.Res 111

www.nationalalliance.org/legis/reason.pdf

Documents Supporting the Case for H.Res 111

www.nationalalliance.org/legis/documents.pdf

Make sure you contact your congressional representative, asking them to co-sponsor
H.Res 111.