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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 291 (103rd)

Missing Service Personnel Act of 1993

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

5 January 1993

Last action

14 April 1994 · Referred

Status

Re-referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Sponsors

Rep. Murphy, Austin J. [D-PA-22], Rep. Swift, Al [D-WA-2], Rep. Porter, John Edward [R-IL-10], Rep. Hochbrueckner, George J. [D-NY-1], Rep. Poshard, Glenn [D-IL-22], Rep. Hamilton, Lee H. [D-IN-9], Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17], Rep. Cox, Christopher [R-CA-40], Rep. Shays, Christopher [R-CT-4], Rep. Zeliff, William H., Jr. [R-NH-1], Rep. Molinari, Susan [R-NY-14], PETER KING, Rep. Ramstad, Jim [R-MN-3], Rep. Machtley, Ronald K. [R-RI-1], Rescom. Romero-Barcelo, Carlos A. [D-PR-At Large], Rep. McNulty, Michael R. [D-NY-23], Rep. Frost, Martin [D-TX-24], Rep. Taylor, Gene [D-MS-5], Rep. Hancock, Mel [R-MO-7], Rep. Torres, Esteban Edward [D-CA-34], Rep. Blackwell, Lucien E. [D-PA-2], Rep. Morella, Constance A. [R-MD-8], GENE GREEN, Rep. Hastert, J. Dennis [R-IL-14], Rep. Roemer, Tim [D-IN-3], Rep. Lipinski, William O. [D-IL-5], Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-19], Rep. Camp, Dave [R-MI-4], Rep. Holden, Tim [D-PA-17], Bernie Sanders, COLLIN PETERSON, Rep. Kildee, Dale E. [D-MI-7], Rep. Thurman, Karen L. [D-FL-5], Rep. Washington, Craig A. [D-TX-18], Rep. Quinn, Jack [R-NY-27], Rep. Buyer, Steve [R-IN-4], Rep. Kopetski, Mike [D-OR-5], Rep. Franks, Gary A. [R-CT-5], Rep. Traficant, James A., Jr. [D-OH-17], Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8], Rep. Unsoeld, Jolene [D-WA-3], Rep. Minge, David [D-MN-2], Rep. Walsh, James T. [R-NY-27], Rep. Hyde, Henry J. [R-IL-6], Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-4], Rep. Hinchey, Maurice D. [D-NY-22], Ron Wyden, Rep. Klein, Herbert C. [D-NJ-8]

Subjects

Defence

Source updated

26 August 2025

Defence

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Missing Service Personnel Act of 1993 - Requires the responsible armed forces commander, after receiving notice that a person under his command is missing, to conduct an informal investigation to determine such person's whereabouts and, if appropriate, to place such person in a missing status. Provides for the convening of boards of inquiry to: (1) investigate evidence relating to the disappearance of a person; (2) recommend whether to continue such person in a missing status or make a finding that such person has deserted, is absent without leave, or is dead; and (3) report its recommendations and findings. Provides for the convening of a board of further inquiry, if a board of initial inquiry recommends that such person be continued in a missing status. Directs the Secretary concerned, upon the written request of a member of the immediate family of a missing person who, before the date of the enactment of this Act, was determined by the Secretary to be dead, to: (1) convene a board of further inquiry to determine whether such finding of death should be upheld or such person should be placed in a missing status; and (2) report its findings. Requires the Secretary, within three years after a board of further inquiry recommends a missing status for any person, to reconvene such board to review such status. Directs the Secretary to invite each member of the immediate family of the missing person to board meetings unless attendance would place such member in danger. Prohibits any such board from declaring a missing person dead unless: (1) evidence other than the passage of a period of fewer than 50 years suggests that such person is dead; (2) no evidence which reasonably suggests that such person is alive is in the possession of the Government; (3) Government representatives have made a complete search of the area where such person was last seen (unless the United States is not granted access to such area); and (4) Government representatives have checked the records of the government or entity having control over the area where such person was last seen (unless the Government is not granted access to such records). Provides for judicial review of determinations of death. Sets forth penalties for knowingly withholding information pertaining to a missing person from that person's personnel file. Requires the Secretary concerned to make the contents of such file available to a member of the immediate family of such person upon written request.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 5 January 1993

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 5 January 1993

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 5 January 1993

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 28 January 1993

    Committee

    Executive Comment Requested from DOD.

    Source: Committee

  5. 28 January 1993

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Forces and Personnel.

    Source: Committee

  6. 28 February 1994

    Committee

    Unfavorable Executive Comment Received from DOD.

    Source: Committee

  7. 14 April 1994

    Referred

    Re-referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

View fileDownload file

Sponsors

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Related records

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Sources

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