[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2701 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 214
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2701
[Report No. 119-258]
To direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a
program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United
States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly
represent their religion and heritage, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 7, 2025
Ms. Wasserman Schultz (for herself, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Mr. Goldman of
New York, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Schneider, Ms. Friedman, and
Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
September 9, 2025
Additional sponsors: Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Goldman of Texas, Mr. Suozzi,
Mr. Carter of Georgia, Ms. Norton, Ms. McBride, Ms. Sherrill, Ms.
Gillen, Mr. Case, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr.
Bell, Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona, Ms. Salazar, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Raskin,
Mr. Bacon, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Ciscomani, Ms. Schrier, Ms.
Mace, Mr. Van Orden, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Meuser, Mr. Kean,
Mr. McCormick, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Kustoff, Mr. Carson, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr.
LaLota, Mrs. Cammack, and Mr. Fleischmann
September 9, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April
7, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a
program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United
States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly
represent their religion and heritage, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fallen Servicemembers Religious
Heritage Restoration Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) An estimated 900 American-Jewish servicemembers of the
Armed Forces, killed in World War I and World War II and buried
overseas in United States military cemeteries were, for various
reasons, mistakenly buried under Latin Crosses. In most
instances, those mistakes were made inadvertently.
(2) In 2022, more than 2,000,000 people visited the United
States World War I and World War II cemeteries in foreign
countries.
(3) American-Jewish servicemembers played a vital role in
the Allied victories in World War I and World War II.
(4) American-Jewish servicemembers who fought and died for
the United States must have their heritage properly recognized
and honored.
(5) The United States Government has a solemn
responsibility to ensure that every American servicemember
killed in action and buried overseas is properly honored.
(6) The work of properly identifying American-Jewish
servicemembers buried overseas is vital and integral to the
responsibility of the American Battle Monuments Commission to
ensure that past mistakes in honoring those servicemembers who
died in the line of duty are corrected.
SEC. 3. FALLEN SERVICEMEMBERS RELIGIOUS HERITAGE RESTORATION PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The American Battle Monuments Commission shall
establish a program to identify covered members and to contact
survivors and descendants of such covered members. Such program shall
be known as the ``Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration
Program''.
(b) Duration.--The Commission shall carry out the Fallen
Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program during the first
five fiscal years that begin after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(c) Contracts.--
(1) Authority.--During each fiscal year described in
subsection (b), the Commission shall seek to enter into a
contract with a nonprofit organization under which such
nonprofit organization shall carry out the purpose described in
subsection (a).
(2) Term; amount.--Each contract under this subsection
shall be for one year and in the amount of $500,000 to the
nonprofit organization.
(3) Priority.--In awarding a contract under this
subsection, the Commission shall give priority to a nonprofit
organization that has demonstrated capability and expertise in
carrying out the purpose described in subsection (a).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission $500,000 for
each fiscal year described in subsection (b).
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``covered member'' means a deceased member of
the Armed Forces who was Jewish and buried--
(A) in a United States military cemetery located
outside the United States; and
(B) under a marker that indicates such member was
not Jewish.
(2) The term ``nonprofit organization'' means an
organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section
501(a) of such Code.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``January 31, 2032''.
Union Calendar No. 214
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2701
[Report No. 119-258]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a
program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United
States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly
represent their religion and heritage, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 9, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed