Thursday’s news that Navy officials believe Capt. Michael “Scott” Speicher could still be alive drew particular interest from the office of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.

Speicher was initially declared dead after his aircraft was shot down in Iraq in 1991, but Roberts was among those who pushed Pentagon officials to reclassify the pilot as “missing/captured” in 2002.

Roberts said Thursday that the Navy report ” is consistent with my long-held views.

“I strongly support the recommendation that the Pentagon continue to work with the State Department, the Iraqi government and all other sources to increase the level of attention and effort to resolve the question of Capt. Speicher’s fate.”

Roberts said he would continue to push for efforts “ensuring that careful reviews leave no stone unturned in behalf of our service members and their families.”