1991R09- SOUTHEAST ASIA (MIA)
RESOLUTION NO. __7/--Lf-J_
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The status of American service personnel in
Southeast Asia is an important national policy issue as more
than 88,000 members of our country's armed forces who served
during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam
conflict are officially listed as missing in action (MIA);
and
WHEREAS, On April 12, 1973, the United States
Department of Defense publicly stated that there was "no
evidence" that live American prisoners of war (POWs) were
being held in Southeast Asia, yet that statement was made
nine days after Pathet Lao leaders declared that Laotian
communist forces were, in fact, holding American POWs; and
WHEREAS, Records show that none of the American POWs
held by the Laotian government and military forces have ever
been released; and
WHEREAS, Since 1973, the department has received
more than 11,700 reports of sightings of live American POWs
and, after detailed analysis, admits that there are a number
of "unresolved" cases regarding the POW/MIA issue; and
WHEREAS, The United States Senate Foreign Relations
Committee released its "Interim Report on the Southeast Asia
POW/MIA Issue" in October 1990, which concludes that United
States military and civilian personnel were held against
their will in Southeast Asia after the Vietnam conflict,
despite earlier public statements by the department to the
contrary, and that information available to the federal
government does not rule out the pOSSibility that United
States citizens are still being held in Southeast Asia: and
WHEREAS, The report also states that congressional
inquiries into the POW/MIA issue have been hampered by
information being concealed from committee members or
"misinterpreted or manipulated" in government files; and
WHEREAS, The United States Congress' POW/MIA truth
bill would direct federal government agencies and
departments to disclose information concerning the United
States service personnel classified as prisoners of war or
missing in action from World War II, the Korean War, and the
Vietnam conflict and would censor the sources and methods
used to collect the live sighting reports, thus protecting
national security; and
WHEREAS, The families of these missing service
personnel truly need and deserve the opportunity to access
information concerning the status of their missing loved
ones after these many years; NOW THEREFORE
. .
.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SCHERTZ,
TEXAS:
THAT the City Council of the City of Schertz, Texas
hereby requests the United States Congress to resolve
questions regarding the United States military prisoners of
war and personnel missing in action by appointing a select
committee to assist the United States Senate Foreign
Relations Committee in obtaining information in government
files, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
THAT the
committee hearings
bill; and
Congress be urged to begin immediate
to consider enacting the POW/MIA truth
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
THAT the congress be requested to continue funding
of this investigation that is vital to resolving the POW/MIA
issue in Southeast Asia, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
THAT the Schertz
copies of this resolution
area and to members of our
City Council forward official
to all the cities in the Metrocom
congressional delegation.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this the 6th day of August,
1991.
ATTEST:
;fJ~.
Mayor, City of SCh~Z, Texas
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of Schertz