HM 0209 2003
1	CHAMBER ACTION
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6	The Committee on Local Government & Veterans' Affairs recommends
7	the following:
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9	Committee Substitute
10	Remove the entire bill and insert:
11	House Memorial
12	A memorial to the Congress of the United States urging Congress
13	to provide adequate federal funding for a full accounting of
14	those missing from our nation's wars, including any Florida
15	resident who is classified as a United States Prisoner of
16	War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA).
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18	WHEREAS, the men and women of the United States Armed
19	Forces are trained and dedicated to protect the security of our
20	nation, and
21	WHEREAS, these men and women have devoted themselves to the
22	task of protecting our lives and liberty as United States
23	citizens, and
24	WHEREAS, all Americans derive inspiration from the
25	sacrifices endured by members of the armed services during
26	captivity as prisoners of war, and
27	WHEREAS, the courage of the families of those members of
28	the Armed Services who remain missing or unaccounted for
29	continues to be a great source of inspiration and admiration for
30	all Americans, and
31	WHEREAS, Americans recognize the special debt of gratitude
32	owed to those who have sacrificed their freedom in the service
33	of our country, and
34	WHEREAS, as a reaffirmation of our commitment to the
35	courageous families of these military personnel, the State of
36	Florida pledges support to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
37	Personnel Office within the Department of Defense, which is the
38	federal agency charged to deal with the POW/MIA issue, and
39	WHEREAS, the State of Florida hopes to ensure that those
40	who served and sacrificed for our nation are not forgotten and
41	left on faraway shores by urging the Congress to continue their
42	support of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office
43	of the Department of Defense and its activities, NOW, THEREFORE,
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45	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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47	That the Congress of the United States is requested to
48	provide the funds necessary for the Defense Prisoner of
49	War/Missing Personnel Office of the Department of Defense and
50	other Department of Defense agencies that play critical roles in
51	achieving the fullest possible accounting of POW/MIA’s to
52	continue their work unimpeded from budgetary constraints or
53	reductions.
54	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Florida, through
55	the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, will continue
56	working with the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel
57	Office to assist in the identification of unlocated family
58	members of any Florida resident classified as a United States
59	POW/MIA, thereby enabling the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
60	Personnel Office to request that eligible family members provide
61	a blood sample to keep on file in the event it is needed in the
62	identification process.
63	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
64	dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
65	President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
66	United States House of Representatives, and to each member of
67	the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.