Congressional Record----Senate July 1,1994.
Amendment No. 2187

(Purpose: to express the sense of the senate that the senate committee on armed services should hold hearings related to the procedures used by the department of defense's investigative organizations when investigating the death of a member of the armed forces who, while serving on active duty, died from a cause determined to be self inflicted).

Mr. Coats:  Mr. President, on behalf of Senator DOLE I offer an amendment which expresses the sense of the Senate that the Armed Services Committee should hold hearings related to DOD procedures for investigating the death of a service member from a cause determined to be self-inflicted. I send the amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

The PRESIDING OFFICER: The clerk will report.

The legislative clerk read as follows:
At the appropriate place insert the following new section:

Sec. REVIEW OF THE PROCEDURES USED BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INVESTIGATIVE ORGANIZATIONS WHEN CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO, WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY, DIED FROM A CAUSE DETERMINED TO BE SELF-INFLICTED.

SENSE OF CONGRESS-- It is the Sense of Congress that upon receipt of the report required by section 1185 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, the Senate Committee on Armed Services should review that report and hold hearings related to the procedures employed by Department of defense investigative Organizations when conducting an investigation into the death of a member of the Armed Services who. while serving on active duty, died from a cause determined to be self-inflicted.

Mr.NUNN: I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. DOLE: Mr. President, this is an amendment which expresses the sense of the Senate that the Senate Armed Services Committee should hold hearings related to the procedures used by the Department of Defense's investigative organizations when they investigate the death of any member of the Armed Forces who, while serving on active duty, died from what appears to be a self-inflicted cause.

Last week, I met with two of my constituents, Royal and Linda Shults of Atchison, Ks. The story they related to me was extremely disturbing. However, it is one that I think is important to bring before the Senate. On July 2, 1992, Allen Shults was found dead in his living quarters at Keesler Air Force Base. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations determined that his death was due to asphyxia, induced by self-inflicted hanging. However, Mr. and Mrs. Shults soon learned that the official explanation of their son's death didn't fit with the facts. In fact, by conducting their own investigation, Mr. and Mrs. Shults have uncovered evidence of a material deficiency in the Air Force's original investigation.

Unfortunately, the Shultses are not alone. There are families from all over the country, from California to Maine and from Minnesota to Texas who can identify with Mr. and Mrs. Shults. These families have come together to form "MISTAP". A nationwide organization made up solely of relatives of military personnel whose deaths occurred mysteriously and have been ruled self-inflicted. Each of these families tells of rushed, incomplete, and often fumbled investigations conducted by DOD investigative organizations.

I am particularly concerned that, in an effort to close these cases quickly and to prevent embarrassment to local commanders and the Armed Services, deaths are often ruled self-inflicted without full and complete investigation.

We owe the families of our military personnel more. This matter deserves the attention of the Armed Services Committee and I am pleased that the chairman and the ranking member have agreed to accept this amendment.

The PRESIDING OFFICER: If there be no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.

The amendment (No. 2187) was agreed to.

Mr. COATS:  Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. NUNN:  I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.