LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL MEMO FOR THE RECORD RE: H.R. 4204 - TO AMEND SECTION 6 OF THE WAR CLAIMS ACT OF 1948

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00337R000100120047-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 20, 2006
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: March 4, 1969
• Content Type: MFR

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4 March 1969
SUBJECT: H. R. 4204 - To Amend Section 6 of the War Claims Act
of 1948
1. H. R. 4204, introduced by Representative Byron G. Rogers
(D., Colo.). is scheduled for hearing on 5 and 6 March before the Com-
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. The bill amends section 6
of the War Claims Act of 1948 to include prisoners of war captured
during the Vietnam conflict. In essence, the bill will provide to military
members of the Armed Forces a possible total of $2. 50 per day while a
prisoner of war ($1 for deficient quantity or quality of food and $1. 50 for
inhumane treatment). To qualify for this payment the prisoner must be
held by a hostile force with which the U. S. was actually engaged in armed
conflict between 5 August 1964 and the date ending the Vietnam conflict.
. The bill appears to be deficient in several major respects:
a. narrows potential eligibility period by starting coverage
as of 5 August 1964 rather than 30 November 1961 or 28 February
1961, dates justified during the 90th Congress;
b. does not cover "civilian American citizen" as was done
for World War II and Korean War (50 Appendix 2004(a), (g); and
c. does not reflect the new rates proposed fusing the 90th
Congress in H. R. 15545 and S. 2260.
3. In addition to the above deficiencies, H. R. 4204 does not reflect
the observations by DOD and the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
in connection with the consideration of similar legislation in 1968 to extend
coverage to areas outside of Vietnam. Ed Buchanan and Dick Elliott (Ed's
replacement on the POW Intelligence Committee) have been advised that
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H. R. 4204 is active and were requested to determine DOD's position with
respect to the bill wid whether DOD plans to testify. F- S ATINTL
Persoel, was also advised of the developments on this legislation and I
will reeet with bi and in an effort to determine the factual
basis for an Agency position with reset to the bill.
Distribution:
0rig. ,- Subj.
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