This bill would change Title 38 of the U.S. Code so the Secretary of Veterans Affairs can provide headstones, markers, and medallions for the graves of two groups of people: (1) enslaved individuals who either accompanied a member of the Armed Forces or a Civil War veteran during active military or naval service, or served in the Armed Forces (including Confederate Army or Navy) in place of someone else; and (2) people who performed military functions while they were legally barred from serving because of race, gender, sex, or ethnicity.
The bill adds two new eligibility paragraphs to section 2306 and updates related rules. For people who served for the Confederacy while enslaved, the headstone or marker must say the person was forced to support their own enslavement. Requests for these markers may only be made by a direct descendant or by someone who the Secretary finds made a reasonable attempt to get the descendant's consent. The Secretary must issue implementing regulations within one year, after asking for comment from Civil War historians, civil rights organizations, and direct descendants. The regulations must define "military function" and list kinds of evidence the Secretary may consider (for example, pay records, pension records, regimental histories, newspapers, photographs, ship logs, diaries, family records, and church records). The amendments take effect when the Secretary issues the regulations or one year after enactment, whichever comes first. The Secretary must report to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees no later than 15 months after enactment about implementation and the regulations.
No publicly available information on estimated costs or budget effects is provided in the bill text or metadata.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.