Bill Text: MI HB6335 | 2025-2026 | 103rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Holidays: other; "POW/MIA Day"; designate as the third Friday in September of each year. Creates new act.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-09-23 - Bill Electronically Reproduced 09/22/2026 [HB6335 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2025-HB6335-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL NO. 6335
A bill to designate the third Friday of September of each year as POW/MIA Day.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that the term "POW/MIA" refers to prisoners of war and missing-in-action military personnel who either are or were held unwillingly by the enemy, or their whereabouts during and after wartime and ceasefire remain unknown. According to the POW/MIA Accounting Agency, an agency within the United States Department of Defense, at least 81,000 United States service members are missing in action. Approximately 75% of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific, and over 41,000 are presumed lost at sea through ship losses or aircraft water losses, with approximately 38,000 being recoverable. Unaccounted-for personnel include United States Department of Defense personnel, both military and civilian, civilian contractors of other federal departments and agencies, employees of humanitarian agencies accredited to the armed forces, members of civilian organizations credited with active military service by the United States Secretary of Defense, and citizens of the United States and other persons as directed by the United States Secretary of Defense.
(a) 73,684 from World War II.
(b) 8,157 from the Korean War.
(c) 2,663 from the Vietnam War.
(d) 128 from the Cold War.
(e) 7 from Gulf War and Libya operations.
(3) The legislature recognizes that, since the early 1970s, when United States POW/MIA recovery efforts began, the number of recovered persons based on conflict are as follows, with many of the POW/MIA service members being Michiganders:
(a) 1,830 from World War II, with 71,854 still unaccounted for.
(b) 1,067 from the Vietnam War, with 1,566 still unaccounted for.
(c) 757 from the Korean War, with 7,400 still unaccounted for.
(d) 2 from the Cold War, with 126 still unaccounted for.
(e) Zero from the Gulf wars and Libya, with 7 still unaccounted for.
(4) The legislature recognizes that the number of POW/MIA service members from Michigan based on conflict are as follows:
(a) 2,445 from World War II.
(b) 328 from the Korean War.
(c) 48 from the Vietnam War.
(d) 5 from the Cold War.
(5) The legislature recognizes that, since the early 1970s, when United States POW/MIA recovery efforts began, the number of recovered POW/MIA service members from Michigan based on conflict are as follows:
(a) 64 from World War II.
(b) 35 from the Vietnam War.
(c) 35 from the Korean War.
(6) In recognition of the POW/MIA of every conflict who selflessly, bravely, and boldly fought for the freedoms Americans have today at the cost of their own lives, the legislature declares that the third Friday of September of each year shall be known as "POW/MIA Day". The legislature encourages residents of this state to properly honor the service and sacrifice of all POW/MIA on this day by participating in POW/MIA commemorative celebrations in local communities, appropriately displaying the POW/MIA flag, and performing acts of good will, compassion, and service for the family members of POW/MIA.
