Crapo, Shaheen Reintroduce Bill to Expedite Recovery of Missing Servicemembers
Washington, D.C.--On the heels of the news Idaho welcomed home the remains of 2nd Lieutenant Charles Atteberry after more than 80 years missing in action, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) have again introduced legislation that would eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing records needed for recovery of America’s prisoners of war (POWs) and missing in action (MIA). The Bring Our Heroes Home Act has 7 co-sponsors and previously advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously last November.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, approximately 80,930 Americans--including 359 Idahoans--remain unaccounted for from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars and other conflicts.
“Idaho welcomed home another missing hero just a few weeks ago, and we cannot give up on our efforts to identify and bring home every remaining missing servicemember,” said Crapo. “We must cut the bureaucratic red tape that delays bringing them to an eternal resting place here at home. We owe their families and loved ones the assurances they have not been forgotten.”
“The families of America’s missing service members carry the heavy weight of uncertainty, waiting years and often decades for answers about their loved ones who served our nation with courage and conviction,” said Shaheen. “We owe it to these families to make that wait as short as possible and free from unnecessary bureaucratic burden. Our bipartisan Bring Our Heroes Home Act takes meaningful steps to ensure that vital records are preserved, responsibly declassified and made accessible so that families can finally gain the clarity they deserve. Our nation has a solemn responsibility to honor every hero’s legacy and to ensure none are forgotten or left behind.”
The Bring Our Heroes Home Act would:
- Create a collection of missing Armed Forces and civilian personnel records at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for families and caseworkers to easily access;
- Require executive agencies to identify, locate and transmit any missing Armed Forces personnel records to the National Archives for placement in the collection; and
- Establish an independent Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Review Board to identify missing personnel records, facilitate the transmission and disclosure of these records, and review any decisions by federal agencies to postpone declassification for purposes of protecting sensitive classified material.
Idaho recently welcomed home 2nd Lieutenant Charles Atteberry, a World War II servicemember from Parma who had been missing and unidentified for 80 years. Through the U.S. military’s use of DNA testing, Lt. Atteberry was able to be identified from a mass grave in Taiwan. Lt. Atteberry’s brother, Lloyd, also served in the military as a pilot during World War II. Lloyd is still considered missing in action and his remains have not been recovered since he was reportedly shot down in 1943.
Additional co-sponsors of the measure include Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Alex Padilla (D-California), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).
Bill text is available HERE.
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