[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 150 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4286-H4288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING OUR HEROES ACT OF 2025
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2721) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish
and carry out a pilot program to furnish a headstone or burial marker
to veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and for other
purposes, as amended.
[[Page H4287]]
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2721
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 ``Honoring Our Heroes Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO FURNISH HEADSTONES AND BURIAL
MARKERS TO CERTAIN VETERANS.
(a) Authority.--During the period of seven years following
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall furnish, pursuant to section 2306 of
title 38, United States Code, and without regards to section
8041(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
(Public Law 101-508), an appropriate headstone, burial
marker, or medallion for a veteran--
(1) eligible for burial in a national cemetery;
(2) who died on or after December 7, 1941; and
(3) for whose grave the Secretary has not already provided
a headstone, burial marker, or medallion.
(b) Website.--During such period, the Secretary shall
ensure that the website of the National Cemetery
Administration indicates the effect of this Act on
eligibility for a headstone, burial marker, or medallion
under such section.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting
``February 29, 2032''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 2721.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2721, as amended. This
bill would establish a 7-year pilot program to allow eligible survivors
or veteran representatives to request a VA-furnished headstone or
marker for veterans buried in private cemeteries, who died during or
after World War II.
Under current law, the National Cemetery Administration may only
furnish a headstone or marker for graves of eligible veterans who died
on or after November 1, 1990. If this veteran and their family have not
already received an equivalent benefit, this bill would allow the
veteran's family to honor their military service.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2721, as
amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2721, the Honoring Our Heroes
Act of 2025, as amended, offered by Representative Tim Kennedy, who is
an outstanding member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, most Americans would be shocked to hear this, but
servicemembers who passed away before 1990 are currently ineligible by
law to request a government-issued headstone from the National Cemetery
Administration.
In the haze of grief after a loved one passes away, families are
often unaware of what benefits they may be eligible for. Oftentimes,
they make short-term decisions they intend to revisit later but, for
varying reasons, they do not.
Unfortunately, for the families of veterans, that sometimes means
that they could have applied for a headstone for their loved one, only
to find out years later they were arbitrarily cut off from accessing
that benefit simply by the passage of time.
I think we can all agree that when a veteran passes away, they
deserve the benefits they earned. That includes marking their place in
history with a headstone or other marker that pays respect to their
service. That should be true, regardless of when that veteran passes
away.
Mr. Speaker, that is what the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 seeks
to do. It gives late veterans the burial rights they deserve, and it
gives families a sense of pride and closure after their loss. We on the
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs are continually guided toward
equity in the veteran population. When our constituents bring an issue
to us that highlights inequity or injustice, it is our duty to correct
it.
It is with this change in mind that my esteemed colleague
Representative Kennedy took up the fight and spearheaded this effort on
behalf of the families of veterans who, before November 1, 1990, by
statute cannot request a headstone from the National Cemetery
Administration.
I am thankful to Representative Kennedy for his dedication to
veterans' families on an issue that has been overlooked for far too
long. I am also thankful to the families who highlighted this issue and
who testified in support of this legislation.
As we continue to strive for veterans, their families, and survivors
to access their earned benefits and as we continue to push commonsense
changes that allow more of these deserving people to get what they are
owed, we must remember that from military separation through healthcare
and in death, they matter.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation, and I urge my
colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Kennedy), my good friend and author of H.R. 2721. He
currently serves on our Subcommitee on Economic Opportunity and our
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, we as a body have an obligation
to honor our servicemembers for the sacrifices they have made for our
country. This responsibility is always top of mind for me and my
colleagues on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
About a year ago, I discovered that military families in my district
faced a painful reality. After their loved one's passing, they could
not honor their service with a headstone issued by the VA. These are
families who, often years or even decades after the death of a loved
one, came to fully grasp the depth of that veteran's service and
sacrifice to our Nation.
These include families like that of Technical Sergeant Florian J.
Fenclau, a World War II veteran, a prisoner of war, a Purple Heart
recipient, and proud member of the Greatest Generation.
Under current Federal law, the VA only provides a government-issued
headstone for veterans who died after November 1, 1990. This wasn't
always the case. That arbitrary date was put in place as a cost-saving
measure to pass legislation that same year. It is just one more item
cut on a spreadsheet to make the math work at the expense of our
military families.
Our veterans deserve better than this. They are men and women who
bravely answered the call to serve. As Members of Congress, we have a
moral obligation to fully honor the heroes who fought for this country.
The families left behind are simply asking our government to properly
recognize the bravery and dedication of their loved ones. These are
Americans who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect
the freedoms we all hold dear. The quality of a veteran's memorial
should not be based on when they die but, rather, every memorial must
provide dignity, respect, and lasting recognition for all who wear the
uniform.
That is why I introduced the Honoring Our Heroes Act. It ensures
veterans who passed before 1990 receive the VA-issued headstone they
earned and to guarantee that no veteran's memory is ever forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano for
working with me in advancing this commonsense legislation. With their
help, we are now that much closer to helping our military families
correct the wrongs of the past.
{time} 1640
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, in closing, once again, I urge my colleagues
to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2721, the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025, as
amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.
[[Page H4288]]
In closing, once again, I stand in strong support of this
legislation, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2721, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________