Congressional Record: July 26, 1999 (House)
Page H6359-H6360
AUTHORIZING RELEASE OF RECORDS ON MISSING PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 172) to authorize and direct the Archivist of the
United States to make available for public use the records of the House
of Representatives Select Committee on Missing Persons in Southeast
Asia.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 172
Resolved, That the Archivist of the United States is
authorized and directed to make available for public use the
records of the House of Representatives Select Committee on
Missing Persons in Southeast Asia (94th Congress).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Thomas) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas).
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the question of a final resolution on military and,
indeed, even civilian personnel in Southeast Asia, principally in
Vietnam, has been one that this country has wrestled with for some
time.
The gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) was a member of the Select
Committee on Missing Persons in Southeast Asia during that Select
Committee's existence in the 1970s. That particular committee was
dissolved in the 94th Congress, and portions of its records, including
20 executive sessions, were, according to the appropriate procedures at
the time, sealed for 50 years. Less sensitive records were sealed for
30 years.
As a member of the Committee on Ways and Means and the Subcommittee
on Trade, it was my pleasure a few years ago to travel with then
subcommittee Chairman Sam Gibbons on the first official congressional
visit to Vietnam prior to our recognition of that country. We spent 2
days in Hawaii being briefed on the extensive, laborious, scientific
pursuit of all leads in terms of missing in action and prisoners of
war. We also carried on a number of discussions with Vietnamese
officials and with individuals in the private sector, indeed loved ones
who had sons, daughters, husbands, missing in that war.
It just seems appropriate, according to H. Res. 172, that the
conditions in which we now relate to the country of Vietnam, as it
pertains to records that were sealed, would only make it more difficult
to conclude once and for all the question of prisoners of war and
missing in action. In fact, opening up reports so that any number of
people can examine and find leads they find most appropriate,
especially the ability to move into the country and talk to
individuals, would maximize the opportunity for closing this particular
chapter in America's history.
For that reason, and especially since the Senate has already taken
similar action, I would urge all Members to support H. Res. 172.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to join the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman),
the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor), and others who cosponsored
this resolution and the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the
chairman of the House Committee on Administration, in support of House
Resolution 172.
{time} 1430
This action, hopefully, will help both historians, researchers and,
most of all, loved ones of missing American servicemen in Southeast
Asia; and we should strive, when at all possible, for a policy of
openness with respect to the records of loved ones who fought overseas
on behalf of our country.
Simply put, this resolution would declassify the records of the House
Select Committee on Missing Persons. It would authorize and direct the
archivist of the United States to make these records available to the
public.
In the 1970s, Mr. Speaker, the Select Committee investigated and
tried to determine whether American servicemen had, in fact, been left
behind in Southeast Asia after the Vietnam War. As has been explained,
House rules mandated when the Select Committee was dissolved that its
records be kept secret for 50 years. Similar rules governed the records
of the Senate Select Committee that studied the same issue.
However, several years ago, Mr. Speaker, the Senate agreed to reduce
the period of secrecy to 20 years and, thus, directed all its committee
files be declassified. We should do the same thing, and we should do it
for two principle reasons:
First, the families and loved ones of missing servicemen in Southeast
Asia deserve and ought to know what the House Select Committee
uncovered, and they should not have to wait even another day. These
families should not have to fight their government on the release of
these files, particularly since many of their loved ones fought so
valiantly, so bravely, on behalf of our government, our people, and our
commitment to democracy.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I believe that secrecy only fuels suspicion.
While there are, of course, secrets the government must keep for
national security reasons, this is not the case in this instance. As
the Senate Select Committee stated in its final report, and I quote,
``Nothing has done more to fuel suspicion about the government's
handling of the POW-MIA issue than the fact that so many documents
related to those efforts have remained classified for so long.''
Mr. Speaker, today we have an opportunity to end that suspicion, and
we certainly should do it. I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Gilman) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor), the gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. Talent), and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Rohrabacher), who introduced this resolution, and I am pleased to rise
on behalf of its immediate passage.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Gilman), the principal sponsor of H. Res. 172, the chairman
of the Committee on International Relations.
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and I am pleased to rise today in support of H. Res. 172, a
measure designed to declassify the records of the House Select
Committee on Missing Persons in Southeast Asia.
I want to thank the chairman of the Committee on House
Administration, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), as well as
the ranking minority member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer),
for allowing this bill to be brought to the floor under suspension of
the rules in this timely manner.
I helped to create and served as a member of the Select Committee on
Missing Persons in Southeast Asia during the 94th Congress. At that
time the Select Committee was tasked with the responsibility of
determining whether American servicemen had been left behind in
Southeast Asia after the Vietnam War.
When the Select Committee was dissolved, after completing its work,
some 35 boxes of material were sent over to the National Archives and
Records Administration. Of that total, 11 boxes contained classified
information. This material was subject to House classification rules,
which mandated that the material be kept classified for a period of 50
years.
Earlier this decade, the Senate Committee on POW and MIA Affairs
declassified all of its files on this issue, making them open to both
the families and to researchers. This legislation simply allows the
House to follow suit by making a change in House rules and opening all
of the Select Committee's files and boxes of material to the public.
In approving this measure for suspension, the committee staff
expressed some concern that privacy rights might be compromised if the
files were declassified. They were subsequently
[[Page H6360]]
assured by the archivist that any cases where privacy is a concern,
such as an individual who testified on conditions of anonymity, would
be honored and such files would not be made public.
Mr. Speaker, the end of the Cold War has resulted in the discovery of
literally hundreds of documents which had previously been out of reach
behind the Iron Curtain. I see no need for the House to maintain a veil
of secrecy over its Select Committee files, especially when such
information may provide some insight into the fate of some of the more
than 2,000 service members who still remain unaccounted for from the
Vietnam conflict.
Accordingly, I ask my colleagues to join in supporting this worthy
legislation which would bring the House rules on this subject in accord
with those of our counterpart committee in the Senate.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time, once again thanking the gentleman
from New York for this resolution.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time, adding that the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) asked me to make his comments known and his
expressions of appreciation to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman)
and others for their leadership on this, and he joins us very strongly
in supporting this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 172.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.