[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6333 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6333

  To authorize the presentation of flags at the funerals of civilian 
  Federal employees engaged in the support of military operations who 
        have died in combat zones in the course of their duties.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 15, 2006

  Mr. Pearce introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL



  To authorize the presentation of flags at the funerals of civilian 
  Federal employees engaged in the support of military operations who 
        have died in combat zones in the course of their duties.

    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 ``Civilian Service Recognition Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Many Americans are unaware that there are thousands of 
        civilian Federal employees serving the Nation in the dangerous 
        theaters of war in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere, in 
        the Global War on Terror.
            (2) These employees voluntarily risk their lives to serve 
        the Nation overseas and support the cause of freedom.
            (3) The patriotism of these employees does not begin or end 
        in a uniform, but flows from the shining example of many of the 
        Nation's founding fathers, who, while not serving in the 
        military, sacrificed everything for the sake of liberty.
            (4) In light of the new and unconventional warfare that 
        characterizes the Global War on Terror, it is no surprise that 
        thousands of these employees endure danger and injury, and 
        tragically death, while serving beside the Nation's troops.
            (5) These brave employees serve the Nation openly and 
        clandestinely, contributing to the cause of freedom and 
        democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan and preserving the security 
        of the United States.
            (6) The dedication and service of these employees exemplify 
        the giving nature of the United States, as well as the resolve 
        of the Nation, to spread democracy, freedom, and peace 
        throughout the world.
            (7) These valiant employees, who have lived and died beside 
        the Nation's troops in war zones in the support of freedom, 
        should be honored with a presentation of a flag from a Nation 
        grateful for their service.

SEC. 3. FLAG CEREMONY FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO DIE IN COMBAT 
              ZONES.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the requirements of this section, the 
head of an executive agency shall furnish, upon receipt of a request 
under subsection (b), a flag of the United States to drape the casket 
of an individual who--
            (1) was an employee of the agency engaged in the 
        performance of one or more functions in support of military 
        operations;
            (2) was located or stationed in a combat zone while so 
        engaged in the course of the individual's employment; and
            (3) died while physically present in the combat zone during 
        the period in which the individual was so engaged.
    (b) Request for Flags.--The head of an executive agency shall 
furnish a flag for a deceased individual under subsection (a) upon the 
request of--
            (1) the deceased individual's next of kin; or
            (2) a close friend or associate of the deceased individual 
        if no request is made for the flag by the next of kin.
    (c) Presentation of Flag.--After the burial of an individual 
described in subsection (a), the head of an executive agency shall 
present a flag furnished under subsection (a) to an individual making a 
request under subsection (b).
    (d) Manner of Ceremony.--A flag shall be furnished and presented 
under this section in the same manner as a flag furnished and presented 
on behalf of a member of the Armed Services dying in active duty.
    (e) Limitation on Flags Provided.--If a flag furnished under 
subsection (a) is given to an individual described in subsection 
(b)(2), no flag shall be given to any other person on account of the 
death of such individual.
    (f) Classified Information.--The head of an executive agency may 
disclose information necessary to show that the deceased individual is 
an individual described in subsection (a) to the extent that such 
information is not classified and to the extent that such disclosure 
does not endanger the national security of the United States.

SEC. 4. EMPLOYEE NOTIFICATION OF FLAG CEREMONY BENEFIT.

    The head of an executive agency shall notify employees of the 
agency who are located or stationed in a combat zone for purposes of 
the performance of one or more functions in support of military 
operations of the flag ceremony benefit provided for under section 3.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Combat zone.--The term ``combat zone'' means an area in 
        which a member of the uniformed service on duty in such area 
        may qualify for special pay under section 310 of title 37, 
        United States Code.
            (2) Employee.--The term ``employee'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code, and 
        includes employees of and donors of volunteer services to 
        temporary organizations under section 3161 of such title.
            (3) Executive agency.--The term ``executive agency'' has 
        the meaning given the term ``Executive agency'' in section 501 
        of title 5, United States Code.
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