H.R. 4000--Restoration of Missing Persons Act : hearing before the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on National Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourth Congress, second session, hearing held September 10, 1996

194 Pages·1997·5.4 MB·English

by  United States. Congress. House. Committee on National Security. Military Personnel Subcommittee

V
[H.N.S.C. No. 104-i6]
,0
H.R. 4000—RESTORATION OF MISSING
PERSONS ACT
i (
Y 4.SE 2/1 A: 995-96/46
H.R. 4000-Restoration of Hissing Pe. JNG
BEFORETHE
MILITARY PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE
OFTHE
COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
HEARING HELD
SEPTEMBER 10, 1996
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1997
ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice
SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402
ISBN 0-16-054286-3

.
[H.N.S.C. No. 104-46]
H.R. 4000—RESTORATION OF MISSING
PERSONS ACT
_
Y4.SE2/1 A: 995-96/46
H.R. ^OOO-Restoration of Hissing Pe. . JNG
BEFORETHE
MILITARY PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE
OFTHE
COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATD/ES
ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
HEARING HELD
SEPTEMBER 10, 1996
^"^^ 15
1937
""mpoBt
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1997
ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice
SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402
ISBN 0-16-054286-3
MILITARY PERSONNELSUBCOMMITTEE
ROBERTK. DORNAN, California, Chairman
STEVE BUYER, Indiana OWENPICKETT.Virginia
RON LEWIS, Kentucky G.V. (SONNY)MONTGOMERY, Mississippi
J.C. WATTS,JR., Oklahoma IKE SKELTON, Missouri
MACTHORNBERRY.Texas JANE HARMAN, California
SAXBYCHAMBLISS, Georgia ROSA L. DeLAURO, Connecticut
TODDTIAHRT, Kansas MIKE WARD, Kentucky
RICHARD'DOC HASTINGS, Washington PETE PETERSON, Florida
DUNCANHUNTER, Cahfornia
JohnD. ChaPLA, ProfessionalStaffMember
MichaelR. HIGGINS,ProfessionalStaffMember
Donna L. HOFFMEIER,ProfessionalStaffMember
DianeW. Bowman,StaffAssistant
(II)
CONTENTS
STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Page
Dornan, Hon. Robert K., a Representative from California, Chairman, Mili-
taryPersonnelSubcommittee 1
Pickett, Hon. Owen B., a Representative from Virginia, Ranking Minority
Member,MilitaryPersonnelSubcommittee:PreparedStatement 6
Oilman,Hon.BenjaminA.,aRepresentativefromNewYork 8
Packard,Hon.Ron,aRepresentativefromCalifornia 10
Johnson,Hon.Sam,aRepresentativefromTexas 15
Preparedstatement 17
PRINCIPALWITNESSES WHO APPEARED IN PERSON OR SUBMITTED
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
Benge, Michael D., former Government Civilian Employee, United States
Agency for International Development, and Vietnam-Era Prisoner ofWar:
Statement 27
Burch,ThomasJ.,Jr.,President,NationalVietnamVeteransCoalition:
Statement 151
Preparedstatement 156
Hrdlicka, Carol,wifeofCaptain DavidHrdlicka,U.S.AirForce:
Statement 45
Preparedstatement 54
Knox, Donna Downes, Legal Counsel, andMemberofthe BoardofDirectors,
TheKorean/ColdWarFamilyAssociationoftheMissing:
Statement 126
Preparedstatement 143
Stark, Larry, former United States Navy Civilian ContractorEmployee, and
Vietnam-EraPrisonerofWar:
Statement 31
Preparedstatement 36
DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
Alfond, Dolores A., National Chairperson, National AllianceofFamilies, Let-
tertoHon.RobertK.,Dornan: 167
Brazee, James L., Jr., National President, Vietnam Veterans of America
Inc., LettertoHon.RobertK.,Dornan: 168
CompositepressreportonU.S.S.Indianapolis: 3
Hall, Roger, InformationResearcher, FreedomofInformationAct andExecu-
tiveOrderViolationsofVietnameraPOW/MIAInformation: 169
Wright, John H., Information and Privacy Coordinator, Letter to Mr. Roger
Hall: 177
(III)

104THCONGRESS
2dSession
H. R. 4000
To amend title 10, United States Code, to restore the jprovisions ofchapter 76 of
that title (relatingto missing persons) as in efTect before the amendments made
bytheNationalDefenseAuthorizationActforFiscalYear1997
INTHEHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES
August2, 1996
Mr. DORNAN, (for himself, Mr. GiLMAN, Mr. Sam Johnson ofTexas, Mr. Talent,
Mr. Allard, Mr. Archer, Mr. Armey, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Baker ofCalifornia,
Mr. Baker of Louisiana, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. BaRR of Georgia, Mr. BARRETT
ofNebraska, Mr. BartlettofMaryland, Mr. Barton ofTexas, Mr. Bass, Mr.
Bateman,Mr. Bereuter,Mr. Bilbray,Mr. Bilirakis,Mr. Bliley, Mr. Blute,
Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Boehner, Mr. Bonilla, Mr. Bono, Mr. Brewster, Mr.
Brownback, Mr. Bryant ofTennessee, Mr. BUNN ofOregon, Mr. BUNNING of
Kentucky, Mr. BURR, Mr. BURTON ofIndiana, Mr. BUYER, Mr. CallaHAN, Mr.
Calvert, Mr. Camp, Mr. Canady of Florida, Mr. Castle, Mr. Chabot, Mr.
Chambliss, Mrs. Chenoweth, Mr. Christensen, Mr. Chrysler, Mr. Clinger,
Mr. Coble, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Collins ofGeorgia, Mr. Combest, Mr. Condit,
Mr. COOLEY ofOregon, Mr. CoSTELLO, Mr. Cox ofCalifornia, Mr. CAMPBELL,
Mr. Cramer, Mr. Crane, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cremeans, Mrs. Cubin, Mr.
Cunningham, Mr. Davis, Mr. Deal ofGeorgia, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Diaz-Balart,
Mr. Dickey, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Dreier, Mr. Duncan, Ms. Dunn ofWashing-
ton, Mr.Ehlers, Mr. Ehrlich, Mr. EnglishofPennsylvania, Mr. Ensign,Mr.
Everett, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Fawell, Mr. Fields ofTexas, Mr. Flanagan, Mr.
Foley, Mr. Forbes, Mrs. Fowler, Mr. Fox ofPennsylvania, Mr. Franks of
New Jersey, Mr. Franks ofConnecticut, Mr. Frelinghuysen, Mr. Frisa, Mr.
Funderburk, Mr. Gallegly, Mr. Ganske, Mr. Gekas, Mr. Pete Geren of
Texas, Mr. GiLCHREST, Mr. GiLLMOR, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. GooDLiNG, Mr.
Goss, Mr. Graham, Ms. Greene ofUtah, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Gunderson,
Mr. Gutknecht, Mr.HallofTexas,Mr.Hancock,Mr.Hansen,Mr.Hastert,
Mr. Hastings ofWashington, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Hefley, Mr.
HeINEMAN, Mr. HeRGER, Mr. HiLLEARY, Mr. HoBSON, Mr. HOEKCTRA, Mr.
Hoke,Mr.Holden, Mr. Horn, Mr. Houghton, Mr. Hostettler, Mr.Hunter,
Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Inglis ofSouth Carolina, Mr. I^ook, Mrs.
Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kasich, Mr. Kim, Mr. King, Mr.
Kingston, Mr. Klug, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Kolbe, Mr. LaHood, Mr.
LaTourette, Mr. Largent, Mr. Latham, Mr. Laughlin, Mr. Lazio of New
York, Mr. Leach, Mr. LewisofCalifornia, Mr. Lewis ofKentucky, Mr. LlGHT-
FOOT, Mr. LiNDER, Mr. LIVINGSTON Mr. LoBlONDO, Mr. LONGLEY, Mr. LuCAS
ofOklahoma, Mr. McCOLLUM, Mr. McCrery, Mr. McDade, Mr. McHale, Mr.
McHugh,Mr.McInnis,Mr.McIntosh,Mr.McKeon,Mr.McNULTY,Mr.MAR-
TINI, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Metcalf, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. MiCA, Mr.
Miller ofFlorida, Mr. Minge, Ms. Molinari, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Moor-
head, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Myers of Indiana, Mrs. Myrick Mr. Nethercutt,
Mr. Neumann, Mr. Ney, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Nussle, Mr. Oberstar, Mr.
OxLEY, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Packard, Mr. Parker, Mr. Paxon, Mr. Peterson of
Minnesota, Mr. Petri, Mr. Pickett, Mr. Pombo, Mr. Porter, Mr. Portman,
Ms. Pryce, Mr. QuiLLEN, Mr. QuiNN, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. Ramstad, Mr.
Reed, Mr. Regula, Mr. Riggs, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Rohrabacher,
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Roth, Mrs. Roukema, Mr. Royce, Mr. Salmon, Mr.
Sanders, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Scarborough, Mr. Schaefer, Mr.
ScHiFF, Mrs. Seastrand, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Shaw, Mr.
(V)
— ——
VI
Shays, Mr. Siiuster,Mr. Sisisky,Mr.Skeen,Mr.Skelton, Mr.SmithofNew
Jersey,Mr.SMITHofTexas,Mrs.SMITHofWashington, Mr.SMITHofMichigan,
Mr. Spence, Mr. Solxdmon, Mr. Souder, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Stockman, Mr.
Stump, Mr. Tate, Mr. Tauzin, Mr. Taylor ofNorth Carolina, Mr. Taylor of
Mississippi, Mr. Tejeda, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. Thornberry, Mrs. Thurman, Mr.
TiAHRT, Mr. Traficant, Mr. Torkildsen, Mr. Underwood, Mr. Upton, Mrs.
VucANOVicH, Mr. Walker, Mr. Walsh. Mr. Wamp, Mr. Watts ofOklahoma,
Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Mr. Weldon, of Florida, Mr. Weller, Mr.
Whitfield, Mr. White, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr.
Zeliff, and Mr. Zimmer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
theCommitteeonNationalSecurity
ABILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to restore the provisions ofchapter 76 of
thattitle(relatingto missingpersons)asineffectbeforethe amendmentsmade
bytheNationalDefenseAuthorizationActforFiscalYear1997.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives ofthe United States
ofAmericainCongressassembled,
SECTION 1M.ErNeTstOoFraDtEiFoEnNSOEFAMSISISNIENFGFPEECRTSBOENFSORAEUTEHNORAICTTIMEESNTAPOPFLINCAATBILOENATLODDEEFPEANRSTE-
authorizationactFORFISCALYEAR1997.
(a)APPLICABILITYTO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIANEMPLOYEESAND CON-
TRACTOREmployees.—(1) Section 1501 oftitle 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed—
(A)bystrikingoutsubsection(c)andinsertinginlieuthereofthefollowing:
"(c)Covered PERSONS.^^ection 1502 ofthistitle appliesinthecaseofthe fol-
lowingpersons:
"(1)AnymemberoftheArmedForceson active dutywhobecomesinvolun-
tarily absent as a result ofa hostile action, orundercircumstances suggesting
that the involuntary absence is a result ofa hostile action, and whose status
isundeterminedorwhoisunaccountedfor.
"(2)AnycivilianemployeeoftheDepartmentofDefense,andanyemployee
ofa contractor ofthe Department ofDefense, who serves with or accompanies
the ArmedForces in the field under orders who becomes involuntarily absent
asaresultofahostileaction,orundercircumstancessuggestingthattneinvol-
untaryabsenceisaresultofahostileaction,andwhosestatusisundetermined
orwhoisunaccountedfor.";and
(B)byaddingattheendthefollowingnewsubsection:
"(0SECRETARYCONCERNED.—Inthischapter, theterm'Secretaryconcerned'in-
cludes,inthecaseofacivilianemployeeoftheDepartmentofDefenseorcontractor
ofthe Department ofDefense, the Secretary ofthe military department orheadof
the element ofthe Department ofDefense employing the employee or contracting
withthecontractor,asthecasemaybe.".
(2)Section 1503(c)ofsuchtitleisamended
(A) in paragraph (1), by strikingout "one militarvofficer" andinsertingin
lieuthereoi"oneindividualdescribedin paragraph(2)';
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), re-
spectively;and
(C)byinsertingafterparagraph(1)thefollowingnewparagraph(2):
"(2)Anindividualreferredtoinparagraph(1)isthefollowing:
"(A)A militaryofficer, in the case ofan inquiry with respectto a member
oftheArmedForces.
"(B)Acivilian, inthecaseofaninquirywith respectto acivilianemployee
oftheDepartmentofDefenseorofacontractorofthe DepartmentofDefense.".
(3)Section 1504(d)ofsuchtitleisamended
(A) in paragraph (1), by strikingout "who are" and all that follows in that
paragraphandinsertinginlieuthereof"asfollows:
(A) In the case ofaboard that will inquire intothe whereabouts and sta-
tus ofone or more members ofthe Armed Forces (and no civilians described
in subparagraph (B)), theboard shallbe composed ofofficershavingthe grade
ofmajororlieutenantcommanderorabove.
"(B) In the case ofaboard that will inquire intothe whereabouts and sta-
tus ofoneor more civilian employees ofthe DepartmentofDefense orcontrac-
tors ofthe Department ofDefense (and no members ofthe ArmedForces), the
boardshallbecomposedof
—— — — —
VII
"(i) notlessthanthree employees ofthe DepartmentofDefense whose
rate ofannual payis equal to orgreaterthan the rate ofannual pay pay-
able forgrade GS-13 ofthe General Schedule under section 5332 oftitle
5;and
"(ii) such membersoftheArmedForces as the Secretary considers ad-
visable.
"(C) In the case ofaboardthat will inquire into the whereabouts and sta-
tusofbothoneormoremembersoftheArmedForcesandoneormorecivilians
describedinsubparagraph(B)
"(i) the board shall include at least one ofTicer described in subpara-
graph(A)andatleastoneemployeeofthe DepartmentofDefensedescribed
insubparagraph(B)(i);and
"(ii) the ratio ofsuch officers to such employees on the board shall be
roughly proportional to the ratio ofthe numberofmembers ofthe Armed
Forces who are subjects ofthe board's inquiry to the number ofcivilians
whoaresubjectsoftheboard'sinquiry.";and
pa _
lieuthereor"section 1503(c)(4)".
(4) Paragraph (1) ofsection 1513 ofsuch title is amended to read as follows:
"(1)Theterm'missingperson'means
"(A) a memberoftheArmedForcesonactive dutywhoisin amissing
status;or
"(B) a civilian employee ofthe Department ofDefense or anemployee
of a contractor of the Department ofDefense who serves with or accom-
paniestheArmedForcesinthe fieldunderorders andwhois in amissingstatus.".
(b)Reporton Preliminary Assessment of Status.—(1) Section 1502 ofsuch
titleisamended
(A)insubsection(a)(2)
(i) by striking out "10 days" and inserting in lieu thereof"48 hours";
and
(ii)by striking out "Secretary concerned" and inserting in lieu thereof
"theatercomponent commander withjurisdiction overthe missingperson";
(B)byredesignatingsubsection(b)assubsection(c);
(C)byinsertingaftersubsection(a)thefollowingnewsubsection(b):
"(b)TransmissionThroughTheaterComponentCommander.—Uponreview-
ing a reportunder subsection (a) recommending that a personbe placedin a miss-
ing status, the theater component commander shall ensure that all necessary ac-
tions arebeingtaken, andall appropriate assets arebeingused, to resolve the sta-
tusofthemissingperson.Notlaterthan 14 daysafterreceivingthereport,thethe-
atercomponent commander shall forwardthe reportto the SecretaryofDefense or
the Secretary concerned in accordance with procedures prescribed under section
1501(b)ofthis title. Thetheatercomponent commandershall include with suchre-
port a certification that all necessary actions are being taken, and all appropriate
assetsarebeingused,toresolvethestatusofthemissingperson.";and
(D)insubsection(c), asredesignatedbysubparagraph(B),byaddingatthe
end the following new sentence: ^Tie theater component commander through
whom the report with respect to the missing person is transmittedunder sub-
section (b) shall ensure that all pertinent information relating to the where-
abouts and status ofthe missing person that results from the preliminary as-
sessmentor from actions taken to locate the person is properly safeguardedto
avoidloss,damage,ormodification.".
(2)Section 1503(a)ofsuchtitleisamendedbystrikingout"section 1502(a)"and
insertinginlieuthereof"section 1502(b)".
(3)Section 1513ofsuchtitleisamendedbyaddingattheendthefollowingnew
paragraph:
"(8) The term theater component commander' means, with respect to any
ofthe combatant commands, an officer ofany ofthe Armed Forces who (A) is
commander of all forces ofthat armed force assigned to that combatant com-
mand, and(B) is directly subordinate tothe commanderofthecombatantcom-
mand.". —
(c) Frequency of Subsequent Reviews. Subsection (b) of section 1505 of
suchtitleisamendedtoreadasfollows:
"(b)FrequencyofSubsequentReviews.—(1) Inthe caseofa missingperson
who was lastknown to be alive or who was last suspectedofbeing alive, the Sec-
retary shall appoint a board to conduct an inquiry with respectto a person under
thissubsection
"(A) on or about three years after the date ofthe initial report ofthe dis-
appearanceofthepersonundersection 1502(a)ofthistitle;and
— —
VIII
"(B)notlaterthaneverythreeyearsthereafter.
"(2) In addition to appointment oi boards under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall appoint a board toconduct an inquiry with respectto a missingperson under
this suDsection upon receipt ofinformation that could result in a change ofstatus
ofthe missing person. When the Secretary appoints a board underthis paragraph,
the time for subsequent appointments ofa board under paragraph (1)(B) shall be
determinedfromthedateofthereceiptofsuchinformation.
"(3) TheSecretaryis not requiredto appointaboardunderparagraph (1) with
respecttothedisappearanceofanyperson
"(A) more tnan 30years afterthe initial reportofthe disappearanceofthe
missingpersonrequiredbysection 1502ofthistitle;or
"(B) if, before the end of such 30-year period, the missing person is ac-
countedfor.".
(d)PenaltiesforWrongfulWithholdingofInformation.—Section 1506of
suchtitleisamended
(1)byredesignatingsubsection(e)assubsection(0; and
"(e)(W2r)obnygifnuselrtWinigthahftoelrdsiunbgs.ec—tiEoxnce(pd)ttahse fporlolvoiwdiendginnewsusbusbescetcitoinosn((ae)):through
(d), any person who knowingly and willfully withholds from the personnel file oia
missing person any information relating to the disappearance or whereabouts and
status ofa missing person shall be fined as provided in title 18 or imprisoned not
morethanoneyear,orboth.". —
(e)InformationToAccompanyRecommendationofStatusofDeath. Sec-
tion 1507(b) of such title is amended adding at the end the following new para-
graphs:
"(3)Adescriptionofthelocationofthebody,ifrecovered.
"(4) Ifthe body has been recovered and is not identifiable through visual
means, a certification by a practitioner ofan appropriate forensic science that
thebodyrecoveredisthatofthemissingperson.'.
(0Scope of Preenactment Review.—<1) Section 1509 ofsuch title is amend-
ed—
(A)byredesignatingsubsection(c)assubsection(d);and
(B)byinsertingaftersubsection(b)thefollowingnewsubsection(c):
"(c)SpecialRuleforPersonsClassifiedas'KIA/BNR'.—Inthecaseofaper-
sondescribedin subsection(b)whowasclassifiedasTcilledin action/bodynotrecov-
ered', the case ofthat person may be reviewed under this section only ifthe new
informationreferredtoinsubsection(a)iscompelling.".
(2)(A)Theheadingofsuch section is amendedbyinserting",specialinterest"
after"Preenactment".
(B) The item relatingto such section in the table ofsections at the beginning
of chapter 76 of such title is amended by inserting ", special interest' after
"Preenactment".