H.R. 2701

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2701 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]

<DOC>

Calendar No. 292
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2701

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 16, 2025

Received

December 9, 2025

Read twice and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

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:

KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

Clerk.
Calendar No. 292

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

December 9, 2025

Read twice and placed on the calendar