To amend Chapter 55 of Title 5 and Chapter 10 of Title 37, United States Code, to provide procedural due process in determining the status of missing persons and to require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study of the provisions of the Missing Persons Acts codified in titles 5 and 37, United States Code.
Requires the U.S. Government to exhaust all reasonable possibilities to obtain proof of the death of a missing person in order to establish a reasonable presumption that a member of the armed forces in a missing status is dead. Requires the head of the Federal agency concerned to provide certain procedural rights to the primary next of kin of a missing person when an action is to be undertaken by such agency to review the status of such missing person, including the right to review all information obtained by such agency with regard to the missing person's status.
Directs the Secretary of Defense to study and report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on current provisions of the Missing Persons Act.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.