Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration

Summary#

This bill directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to set up the "Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program." The program's job is to identify deceased American-Jewish servicemembers who are buried in United States military cemeteries outside the United States under grave markers that indicate they were not Jewish, and to contact survivors and descendants. The bill says the program will run during the first 10 fiscal years after the law starts. Each year the Commission is to try to contract with a qualified nonprofit to do the work. Each contract would be for one year and $500,000, and priority goes to nonprofits with relevant experience. The bill also defines a "covered member" as a deceased Jewish member of the Armed Forces buried overseas under a marker that indicates the member was not Jewish.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a survivor or descendant of a servicemember who may be affected, the program is intended to try to find and contact you.
  • The Commission will hire a nonprofit each year to do the identification and outreach work.
  • The bill does not itself describe changes to grave markers or other specific memorial actions beyond identification and contact.

Expenses#

  • The bill authorizes $500,000 to the Commission for each fiscal year of the 10-year program.
  • Each year the Commission is to seek a one-year contract of $500,000 with a nonprofit organization to carry out the program.
  • The bill therefore authorizes $500,000 per fiscal year for 10 fiscal years; no other costs or funding details are provided in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

Supporters say that about 900 American-Jewish servicemembers killed in World War I and World War II were mistakenly buried under Latin Crosses and that these mistakes should be corrected. The bill's findings say American-Jewish servicemembers played a vital role in those wars, that many visitors come to overseas U.S. cemeteries, and that the United States has a responsibility to ensure servicemembers are properly honored. Proponents view the program as a way to identify errors and contact families so heritage can be properly recognized.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.