PRINTER'S NO. 2550
No. 1968 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY GRUPPO, STAIRS, PERZEL, NAHILL, WASS, WAMBACH,
NOYE, MELIO, GEIST, ANGSTADT, FAIRCHILD, GIGLIOTTI, DALEY,
TANGRETTI, STABACK, DeLUCA, G. SNYDER, CIVERA, KENNEY,
MRKONIC, MARKOSEK, BELARDI, SAURMAN, HASAY, GEORGE, McHALE,
COLAFELLA, HESS, PHILLIPS, HERMAN, TIGUE, PISTELLA, FOX,
BELFANTI, CORRIGAN, RAYMOND, LASHINGER, MICOZZIE, JOHNSON,
E. Z. TAYLOR, BILLOW, LINTON, J. L. WRIGHT, McCALL, WOGAN,
RYBAK, BLACK, BOYES, MAYERNIK, BIRMELIN AND JACKSON,
OCTOBER 10, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 10, 1989
AN ACT
1 Directing that the POW-MIA flag be displayed at certain public
2 buildings in this Commonwealth.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Legislative findings and declaration.
6 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
7 (1) Over 2,400 Americans, including 116 from the
8 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, who served in the United States
9 Armed Forces during the war in Indochina are still listed as
10 prisoners of war or missing in action.
11 (2) There is significant evidence that many of these
12 missing American servicemen are still alive and being held
13 against their will in Indochina.
14 (3) This nation is deeply indebted to its servicemen of
1 all wars and conflicts for their courage and sacrifice and
2 should demonstrate its special commitment to the missing men
3 of all wars and conflicts and their families by obtaining the
4 release of those still held prisoner and the fullest possible
5 accounting, from the responsible governments, of Americans
6 listed as missing.
7 (4) The POW-MIA flag is an appropriate symbol of the
8 plight of these missing Americans which serves to remind the
9 public of the commitment this nation must have to determining
10 the fate of its servicemen.
11 (5) It is appropriate, therefore, that the POW-MIA flag
12 should be displayed at public buildings throughout this
13 Commonwealth in order to increase public awareness of the
14 POW-MIA issue and to gain public support for the efforts of
15 the United States government to resolve this matter.
16 Section 2. POW-MIA flag to be displayed at public buildings.
17 (a) General rule.--The POW-MIA flag, which depicts a
18 prisoner's profile against the background of a POW camp
19 watchtower, shall be displayed at public buildings in this
20 Commonwealth during normal business hours.
21 (b) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "public
22 buildings" means the principal municipal building in each
23 municipality, including the principal county building in each
24 county seat and the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg.
25 Section 3. Effective date.
26 This act shall take effect immediately.
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