119-hr2701

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2701 Engrossed in House

    (EH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2701

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 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) === 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''.

 Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025.

 Attest:

 Clerk.
119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 H. R. 2701

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 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.