119-s411

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 411 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 411

 To develop a database of members of the Armed Forces who died in non-
combat military plane crashes and to provide support to the families of 
 such members, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 February 5, 2025

 Mrs. Murray (for herself and Mr. Sullivan) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed 
 Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To develop a database of members of the Armed Forces who died in non-
combat military plane crashes and to provide support to the families of 
 such members, 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 ``Flight 293 Remembrance Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO SUPPORT FAMILIES OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO 
 DIED IN NON-COMBAT MILITARY PLANE CRASHES.

    (a) Identification.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall--

    (1) identify and document all non-combat military plane 
 crashes categorized as ``Operational Loss/Non-War Loss''--
        (A) based on a thorough review of records of the 
 Department of Defense starting with calendar year 1984; 
 and
        (B) for such crashes that occurred before calendar 
 year 1984, using information obtained from other 
 organizations; and

    (2) develop and maintain a publicly accessible database of 
 the names, ranks, and service details of all members of the 
 Armed Forces who died in such crashes.

    (b) Assistance to Families.--The Secretary of Defense, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall provide 
assistance to the families of members of the Armed Forces who died in 
crashes described in subsection

    (a)

    (1) --

    (1) to ensure that those families are aware of and have 
 full access to the benefits, resources, and support services 
 available from the Department of Defense;

    (2) to offer personalized guidance on navigating and 
 applying for those benefits, resources, and services, including 
 financial assistance, counseling services, and survivor 
 benefits tailored to non-combat losses; and

    (3) to connect those families with community and peer 
 support networks that allow them to meet and share experiences 
 with others who have faced similar losses.
            (c) Designated Point of Contact.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
establish a designated point of contact within the Department of 
Defense--

    (1) to be responsible for guiding families of members of 
 the Armed Forces who died in crashes described in subsection

    (a)

    (1) through the benefits process;

    (2) to provide those families with updates on--
        (A) the availability of new programs, services, and 
 benefits;
        (B) changes to law that may affect the eligibility 
 of those families for support; and
            (C) advancements in efforts to recover members who 
 died in crashes described in subsection

    (a)

    (1) ; and

    (3) to liaise with relevant agencies, such as the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs, and local support organizations 
 to ensure those families receive coordinated, streamlined 
 assistance.
            (d) Consultations.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary of 
Defense may consult with organizations with knowledge of and expertise 
relating to crashes described in subsection

    (a)

    (1) .

    (e) Report Required.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
Congress a report on efforts carried out under this section that 
includes--

    (1) the number of families receiving support under 
 subsection

    (b) and a description of the types of support those 
 families received;

    (2) an assessment of progress made in developing the 
 database required by subsection

    (a)

    (2) that includes an 
 estimate of the percentage of crashes described in subsection

    (a)

    (1) that have been included in the database as of the date 
 of the report;

    (3) an assessment of the effectiveness of efforts carried 
 out under this section and the satisfaction of the families of 
 members of the Armed Forces who died in crashes described in 
 subsection

    (a)

    (1) ; and

    (4) any recommendations for legislative changes to improve 
 efforts carried out under this section.

    (f) Nondiscrimination Provisions.--

    (1) In general.--For the purpose of applying the 
 prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of disability 
 under 

section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
 794), on the basis of sex under title IX of the Education 
 Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), or on the basis of 
 race, color, or national origin under title VI of the Civil 
 Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), programs and 
 activities funded or otherwise financially assisted in whole or 
 in part under this section to provide assistance to families 
 under this section, even if carried out directly by the 
 Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
 are considered to be education programs and activities 
 receiving Federal financial assistance.

    (2) Enforcement.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall effectuate the provisions 
 of paragraph

    (1) by issuing regulations, applicable to officers 
 or employees of the Department of Defense or Department of 
 Veterans Affairs, respectively, who provide assistance under 
 this section directly, including provisions specifying how the 
 corresponding Secretary shall enforce the regulations.
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