[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8792 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8792

To establish a flower ordering program for gravesites under the purview 
              of the American Battle Monuments Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 2024

  Mr. Zinke introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a flower ordering program for gravesites under the purview 
              of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

    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 ``Flowers for Fallen Heroes Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION AUTHORITIES.

    Section 2103 of title 36, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), by striking the ``and'' at 
                the end;
                    (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
        of the Flowers for Fallen Heroes Act of 2024, establish a 
        modern and secure program and payment system for members of the 
        public to order floral arrangements for gravesites under the 
        Commission's purview, without excess administrative fees or 
        markup.'';
            (2) in subsection (c), by inserting ``, marketing 
        professionals,'' after ``architects''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(l) Authority of Commission To Accept Certain Types of 
Payments.--
            ``(1) Authority to accept credit card payments and 
        electronic funds transfers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Commission may accept 
                payment of fees related to activities described in 
                subsection (a)(6) by credit card or electronic funds 
                transfer.
                    ``(B) Use of vendors and third-party providers.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Commission may 
                        contract with third-party providers, including 
                        insured depository institutions and card 
                        issuers (as such terms are defined in the Truth 
                        in Lending Act), for purposes of accepting 
                        payments by credit card or by electronic funds 
                        transfer making every effort to find the best 
                        value third party vendor.
                            ``(ii) Payment of fees.--If a third-party 
                        vendor with which the Commission contracts 
                        requires a fee in connection with the 
                        processing of credit payments or electronic 
                        funds transfers, the person who is making such 
                        payment or transfer shall pay such fee, not the 
                        Commission.
                    ``(C) Completion of payment.--If a person elects to 
                make a payment to the Commission by a method authorized 
                under subparagraph (A), the payment shall not be deemed 
                to be made until the Commission receives the funds.
            ``(2) Liability for nonpayment.--If a payment by credit 
        card, debit card, or charge card, so received is not duly paid, 
        or is paid and subsequently charged back to the Commission, the 
        person by whom such method of payment has been tendered shall 
        remain liable for the payment, to the same extent as if such 
        method of payment had not been tendered.
            ``(3) Electronic funds transfer defined.--In this section, 
        the term `electronic funds transfer'--
                    ``(A) means a transfer of funds, other than a 
                transaction by check, draft, or similar paper 
                instrument, that is initiated through an electronic 
                terminal, personal device, or computer for the purpose 
                of ordering, instructing, or authorizing a financial 
                institution to debit or credit an account; and
                    ``(B) includes point of sale transfers, automated 
                teller machine transfers, direct deposit or withdrawal 
                of funds, transfers initiated by personal device, and 
                transfers resulting from debit card transactions.
    ``(m) Crediting of Funds.--Any fees or reimbursements received by 
the Commission for services provided under this section shall be 
credited to the appropriation or fund used for paying the service costs 
and shall remain available for obligation until expended.''.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION AND ADHERENCE TO CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.

    (a) Annual Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the American 
Battle Monuments Commission (referred to in this section as the 
``Commission'') shall submit a report on implementation and performance 
related to the amendments made by this Act to--
            (1) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Subcommittee 
        on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related 
        Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Subcommittee 
        on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related 
        Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
    (b) Contents of Annual Report.--Each report to Congress required 
under subsection (a) shall include progress summaries of activities 
related to--
            (1) section 2103(a)(6) of title 36, United States Code, 
        including--
                    (A) data on flower orders;
                    (B) the Commission's active management of a flower 
                program including receiving and processing the order, 
                placing the floral tribute, providing via email a 
                digital photo of the decorated gravesite to the 
                requestor, and status of ordering systems;
                    (C) efforts to ensure easy, cost-effective access 
                for members of the public who would like to participate 
                in the flower program;
                    (D) creative marketing of the flower program to 
                include public service advertising and public-private 
                partnerships; and
                    (E) the vetting process for florists involved with 
                the flower program; and
            (2) promotion of the Commission's activities pursuant to 
        section 2102(a) of title 36, United States Code.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such sums 
as necessary, as determined by the Commission, to provide the services 
described in section 2103(a)(6) of title 36, United States Code.
                                 <all>