S-3959               _______________________________________________

                                           SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 132

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senators Warnke, Bender, Owen, Newhouse, Deccio, Zimmerman, Bauer, Barr and Rasmussen

Read first time 1/21/86 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.  On motion 1/23/86 referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Two thousand four hundred seventy-seven American servicemen and civilians are still missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia; and

          WHEREAS, Reliable intelligence data indicates that the government of Vietnam is withholding information about missing American personnel; and

          WHEREAS, Due to recent theatrical produtions such as "RAMBO," it is American public opinion that the federal government is reluctant to pursue this matter vigorously; and

          WHEREAS, The governments of Vietnam and Laos have shown signs of wishing to provide more information on missing Americans in return for improved relations with the United States; and

          WHEREAS, The fullest possible accounting for missing Americans is achievable only through government to government efforts, with the full cooperation of the Indochinese authorities;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress of the United States seek all reasonable means of pursuing information concerning missing Americans in Indochina, including, as necessary, the improvement of relations with the governments of the region.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.