SJR4: urging Congress to require the Department of Defense to reinstate the terminology of "POW" or "Prisoner of War" into the classification of military personnel.

CHAPTER 67

SJR 4 – FINAL VERSION

2006 SESSION

06-2022

09/04

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4

A RESOLUTION urging Congress to require the Department of Defense to reinstate the terminology of “POW” or “Prisoner of War” into the classification of military personnel.

SPONSORS: Sen. Barnes, Dist 17; Sen. Johnson, Dist 2; Sen. Letourneau, Dist 19; Sen. Kenney, Dist 3; Rep. Emerson, Ches 7

COMMITTEE: Public and Municipal Affairs

ANALYSIS

This senate joint resolution urges Congress to require the Department of Defense to reinstate the terminology of “POW” or “Prisoner of War” into the classification of military personnel.

06-2022

09/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six

A RESOLUTION urging Congress to require the Department of Defense to reinstate the terminology of “POW” or “Prisoner of War” into the classification of military personnel.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

Whereas, for many years in the past the Department of Defense used the terminology of “Prisoner of War” to describe a military personnel’s casualty status and category for reporting purposes; and

Whereas, the Department of Defense’s current verbiage of “Missing/Captured” dramatically reduces the impact of reports and alters the responses from national and international organizations which have historically interceded in such cases; and

Whereas, the nature of war has changed markedly and permanently and rather than change accordingly to provide maximum protection of all we send in harm’s way, our government has established requirements that are too specific to be workable, too vague to be applicable, or too confusing to achieve understanding; and

Whereas, the protection which should be automatically accorded those in harm’s way is seriously eroded with the “Missing/Captured” classification; and

Whereas, American service men and women are not disposable items and their security and well-being are more significant than the concerns, goals, sensitivities, and idiosyncrasies of our enemies, or of any other nation; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

That the state of New Hampshire calls upon Congress to require the Department of Defense to reinstate “Prisoner of War” into the casualty status and category classification of military personnel; and

That copies of this resolution be transmitted by the senate clerk to each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation.

Approved: April 25, 2006