To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish memorial headstones and markers for eligible spouses and dependent children of veterans whose remains are unavailable, and for other purposes.

HR 5197 amends VA law to allow memorial headstones or markers for eligible spouses and dependent children of veterans when the veteran's remains are unavailable. It expands current provisions by permitting the VA to either attach the spouse/child's name and details to an existing veteran's marker or provide a new marker including that information. The bill also allows the VA to accept voluntary contributions from survivors to expedite marker provision, though it cannot require such funds. This directly affects surviving family members of veterans whose remains cannot be located or identified. The policy change streamlines how the VA provides commemorative markers for these eligible family members.