HR 2701 United States House · 119th Congress

Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act

This bill directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to correct historical errors by identifying Jewish World War I and II veterans buried overseas under incorrect Christian markers (Latin crosses) and replacing them with appropriate markers. It establishes a 10-year program to contact families of affected veterans, with the Commission funding the effort at $500,000 annually through nonprofit contracts. The program specifically targets veterans buried in foreign U.S. military cemeteries with markers indicating non-Jewish faith, addressing a documented mistake affecting approximately 900 Jewish servicemembers. This directly affects Jewish veterans' families by honoring their heritage and correcting past burial inaccuracies.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Sep 2025

House Passage

Sep 2025

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Apr 7, 2025 Last action Dec 9, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 3 edits · Sep 15, 2025

MINOR

The Engrossed version of HR 2701 halves the program duration from 10 fiscal years to 5 fiscal years, removes the explicit authorization of appropriations language (though the $500,000 annual contract amount remains), and adds an unrelated provision extending a pension payment deadline by approximately two months. The core purpose of identifying Jewish servicemembers mistakenly buried under Latin Crosses overseas is unchanged.

Scope change

The program's operational window was cut in half (from 10 to 5 fiscal years), reducing the total time available for the Commission to identify covered members and contact their survivors and descendants. The addition of the pension extension provision slightly broadens the bill's scope beyond its stated religious heritage restoration purpose.

TIMELINE

The program duration was reduced from the first 10 fiscal years after enactment to the first 5 fiscal years, effectively halving how long the Commission will carry out the identification and outreach program.

A new Section 4 was added that amends 38 U.S.C. 5503(d)(7) to extend a limit on pension payments from November 30, 2031 to January 31, 2032, a roughly two-month extension unrelated to the bill's primary purpose.

FISCAL

The authorization of appropriations subsection (which authorized $500,000 per fiscal year to the Commission) was removed. The $500,000 annual contract amount for nonprofit organizations remains in the contracts subsection, but there is no longer a separate congressional authorization of funds.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Sep 15, 2025

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4294)

lower

Sep 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4294: 1)

lower

Sep 15, 2025

Introduced

Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Sep 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-258.

lower

Jul 23, 2025

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

lower

Jul 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Jul 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged

lower

Jun 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee Hearings Held

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 41 co-sponsors