Young Votes to Increase Funding for POW/MIA Recovery and Identification

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) today voted for an amendment, which he cosponsored, to increase funding for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) by $10 million. The Senate passed the measure by a vote of 85-0. In July, the United States received 55 boxes of remains from the Korean War. DPAA has transferred those remains to a lab in Hawaii and will now attempt to identify the remains. Increased funding could help the DPAA complete this and future work more quickly.    

“I was proud to cosponsor and vote for this amendment that will help provide the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency with the resources needed to fulfil its mission. Returning our fallen heroes is the least we can do for the families of service members who paid the ultimate price for our freedom,” said Senator Young. 

The only ID tags returned by the North Koreans in July were those of Master Sergeant Charles McDaniel, an Army medic from Indiana who was killed in the Korean War.

In June, Senator Young met with DPAA Director Kelly McKeague to discuss efforts to bring America’s fallen service members home. The meeting followed a letter Senator Young sent to the President reiterating the importance of bringing fallen POW/MIAs home. According to DPAA, there are still 7,686 Americans missing from the Korean War.