Expressing the sense of Congress that all trade agreements the United States enters into, should provide reasonable access and collaboration of each nation involved in such an agreement, for the purpose of search and recovery activities relating to members of the United States Armed Forces still missing and unaccounted for from prior wars or military conflicts.

Bill Number

H.Con.Res. 49

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-09-19: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Last Updated

2025-09-22T19:40:55Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 49) expresses the non-binding opinion of Congress that all future U.S. trade agreements should include provisions ensuring reasonable access and cooperation from partner nations to support search, investigation, and recovery efforts for U.S. Armed Forces members still missing from past wars or conflicts. It aims to leverage trade deals to facilitate the recovery of prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) personnel.

Key Provisions

• Sense of Congress Statement: Declares that U.S. trade agreements should promote transparency and efficiency in MIA recovery operations by requiring partner nations to collaborate on access for searches and investigations.
• Background "Whereas" Clauses:
• Highlights that the Department of Defense's POW/MIA Accounting Agency currently handles recoveries through separate diplomatic, civil, and military negotiations on a country-by-country basis.
• Notes that countries benefiting from U.S. trade should assist in recovering U.S. POW/MIA personnel.
• Cites specific statistics on unaccounted-for personnel:
• 1,566 from the Vietnam War in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
• 71,853 from World War II in Europe, China, and Japan.
• 7,398 from the Korean War on the Korean Peninsula.
• The resolution requires concurrence from both the House and Senate but does not mandate any actions or create enforceable requirements.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• None. As a concurrent resolution, it is a symbolic expression of congressional intent and does not amend laws, appropriate funds, or impose binding obligations. It builds on existing POW/MIA recovery efforts under the Department of Defense but introduces no legal alterations.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: May encourage the Department of State and U.S. Trade Representative to prioritize MIA recovery provisions in future trade negotiations, potentially streamlining diplomatic efforts for the Department of Defense's POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
• On Citizens: Could provide emotional support and hope to families of missing service members by signaling U.S. commitment to their recovery, though it offers no direct services or guarantees.
• On International Relations: Might strengthen U.S. leverage in trade talks with nations like Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China, Japan, and North/South Korea, fostering goodwill or pressuring partners to cooperate on historical issues; however, it could complicate negotiations if viewed as a non-trade demand.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Families and Advocates of Missing Personnel: Primary beneficiaries through potential improved recovery access.
• U.S. Military and Veterans' Groups: Including the Department of Defense and organizations focused on POW/MIA issues, who may use this to advocate for resources.
• U.S. Trading Partners: Nations involved in U.S. trade agreements, particularly those with historical ties to U.S. conflicts (e.g., Vietnam, China, Korea), who could face expectations for cooperation.
• Congress and Executive Branch: House and Senate members (introduced by Rep. Thompson of Pennsylvania and cosponsors) and trade negotiators, influencing policy priorities.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Lacks enforceability, as "sense of Congress" resolutions (authorized under Article I of the Constitution) express opinions without the force of law, similar to non-binding declarations.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's oversight of foreign commerce (Article I, Section 8) and war powers, but does not infringe on executive treaty-making authority.
• Political: Demonstrates bipartisan support (cosponsored by members from both parties) for honoring military sacrifices, potentially boosting morale among veterans and influencing public discourse on trade policy; it may serve as a precursor to stronger legislative pushes if recovery efforts face obstacles.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3], Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9], Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]

Recent Actions

• 2025-09-19: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
• 2025-09-19: Submitted in House
• 2025-09-19: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4459)
• 2025-09-19: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Expressing the sense of Congress that all trade agreements the United States enters into, should provide reasonable access and collaboration of each nation involved in such an agreement, for the purpose of search and recovery activities relating to members of the United States Armed Forces still missing and unaccounted for from prior wars or military conflicts. — issued 2025-09-19 — PDF (2 pages)