Senate Bill sb1472c1
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Florida Senate - 2003 CS for SM 1472
By the Committee on Rules and Calendar; and Senator Crist
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1 Senate Memorial No. ____
2 A memorial to the Congress of the United States
3 urging Congress to provide federal funding for
4 a full accounting of those missing from our
5 nation's wars, including any Florida resident
6 who is classified as a United States Prisoner
7 of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA).
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9 WHEREAS, the men and women of the United States Armed
10 Forces are trained and dedicated to protect the security of
11 our nation, and
12 WHEREAS, these men and women have devoted themselves to
13 the task of protecting our lives and liberty as United States
14 citizens, and
15 WHEREAS, all Americans derive inspiration from the
16 sacrifices endured by members of the Armed Services during
17 captivity as prisoners of war, and
18 WHEREAS, the courage of the families of those members
19 of the Armed Services who still remain missing or unaccounted
20 for is also a great source of inspiration and admiration for
21 all Americans, and
22 WHEREAS, Americans recognize the special debt of
23 gratitude owed to those who have sacrificed their freedom in
24 the service of our country, and
25 WHEREAS, as a reaffirmation of our commitment to the
26 courageous families of these military personnel, the State of
27 Florida pledges support to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
28 Personnel Office within the Department of Defense, which is
29 the federal agency charged to deal with the POW/MIA issue, and
30 WHEREAS, the State of Florida hopes to ensure that
31 those who served and sacrificed for our nation are not
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Florida Senate - 2003 CS for SM 1472
305-2173-03
1 forgotten and left on faraway shores by urging the Congress to
2 continue their support of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
3 Personnel Office of the Department of Defense and its
4 activities, NOW, THEREFORE,
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6 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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8 That the Congress of the United States is requested to
9 provide the funds necessary for the Defense Prisoner of
10 War/Missing Personnel Office of the Department of Defense and
11 other Department of Defense agencies that play critical roles
12 in achieving the fullest possible accounting of POW/MIA's to
13 continue their work unimpeded from budgetary constraints or
14 reductions.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Florida,
16 through the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, will
17 continue working with the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
18 Personnel Office to assist in the identification of unlocated
19 family members of any Florida resident classified as a United
20 States POW/MIA, thereby enabling the Defense Prisoner of
21 War/Missing Personnel Office to request that eligible family
22 members provide a blood sample to keep on file in the event it
23 is needed in the identification process.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
25 dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
26 President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
27 United States House of Representatives, and to each member of
28 the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.
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Florida Senate - 2003 CS for SM 1472
305-2173-03
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Memorial 1472
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4 The original version of the memorial requests Congress to
provide to the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs any
5 information available to the United States government on any
Florida resident who is classified as a prisoner of war or
6 missing in action. The Department of Veterans' Affairs is to
then commence official action to determine the well-being of
7 the POW/MIA and endeavor to bring about his or her safe
return. Any information received by the Department of
8 Veterans' Affairs is to be shared with the immediate family of
the POW/MIA. The committee substitute basically requests
9 Congress to fund the DPMO so that it can continue its
accounting of POW/MIAs.
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