[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 14690-14691]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEADSTONES, MARKERS, AND MEDALLIONS FOR 
                       MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4757) to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
expand the eligibility for headstones, markers, and medallions 
furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for deceased individuals 
who were awarded the Medal of Honor and are buried in private 
cemeteries, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4757

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEADSTONES, MARKERS, 
                   AND MEDALLIONS FOR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.

       Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(5)(A) In carrying out this subsection with respect to a 
     deceased individual described in subparagraph (C), the 
     Secretary shall furnish, upon request, a headstone or marker 
     under paragraph (1) or a medallion under paragraph (4) that 
     signifies the deceased's status as a Medal of Honor 
     recipient.
       ``(B) If the Secretary furnished a headstone, marker, or 
     medallion under paragraph (1) or (4) for a deceased 
     individual described in subparagraph (C) that does not 
     signify the deceased's status as a Medal of Honor recipient, 
     the Secretary shall, upon request, replace such headstone, 
     marker, or medallion with a headstone, marker, or medallion, 
     as the case may be, that so signifies the deceased's status 
     as a Medal of Honor recipient.
       ``(C) A deceased individual described in this subparagraph 
     is a deceased individual who--
       ``(i) served in the Armed Forces on or after April 6, 1917;
       ``(ii) is eligible for a headstone or marker furnished 
     under paragraph (1) or a medallion furnished under paragraph 
     (4) (or would be so eligible for such headstone, marker, or 
     medallion but for the date of the death of the individual); 
     and
       ``(iii) was awarded the Medal of Honor (including 
     posthumously).''.

     SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PRESIDENTIAL MEMORIAL CERTIFICATE 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 112(a) of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking ``veterans,'' and all that 
     follows through ``service,'' and inserting the following: 
     ``persons eligible for burial in a national cemetery by 
     reason of any of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), or (7) of section 
     2402(a) of this title,''.
       (b) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to the death of a person eligible 
     for burial in a national cemetery by reason of paragraph (1), 
     (2), (3), or (7) of section 2402(a) of title 38, United 
     States Code, occurring before, on, or after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include any extraneous material on H.R. 4757, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge all of our colleagues to support H.R. 
4757, as amended. This bill would expand two different honors for our 
Nation's heroes, guaranteeing that their service would never be 
forgotten.
  First, the bill would expand eligibility for a Presidential Memorial 
Certificate to members of the National Guard or Reserve. Mr. Speaker, 
Presidential Memorial Certificates are engraved certificates that are 
signed by the President and sent to a deceased servicemember's family, 
honoring their loved one's service and sacrifice to our country. My 
bill would ensure that all service is recognized and cherished because 
all servicemembers take the exact same oath to support and to defend 
the Constitution of the United States.
  Second, H.R. 4757, as amended, would allow the VA to furnish a 
headstone, marker, or medallion signifying that the deceased was 
awarded the Medal of Honor. We all know that veterans who were awarded 
the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor, deserve to have their 
service recognized both in life and after they pass. This bill would 
make it easier for visitors at any cemetery to pay their respects to 
Medal of Honor recipients by allowing them to quickly identify our 
national heroes.
  Moreover, these headstones, markers, or medallions will also continue 
to inspire the next generation of Americans who will be serving our 
country. I hope that in 100, 200, or even 1,000 years from now future 
Americans will still take the time to find the graves of these 
incredibly brave men and women and give thanks that they are living in 
the greatest Nation in the history of this world. This legislation 
would help us fulfill our duty as a nation to encourage continued 
respect and admiration for those that have gone on before us.
  I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 4757, as amended.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise to offer my unqualified support for H.R. 4757, Chairman 
Miller's bill that updates current law to ensure our Nation's heroes 
are accorded the recognition they deserve, particularly those afforded 
the Nation's highest honor for valor, the Medal of Honor.
  First, H.R. 4757 directs the VA to provide, upon request, a 
distinctive headstone, marker, or medallion to Medal of Honor 
recipients who are buried in private cemeteries. This bill is necessary 
because current law actually

[[Page 14691]]

prohibits the Secretary from furnishing these honors to recipients not 
buried in national cemeteries.
  Second, while the VA sends a Presidential Memorial Certificate that 
expresses the Nation's recognition and gratitude of military service to 
family members of a deceased veteran, current law limits Presidential 
Memorial Certificates to the families of those who served in regular 
armed services or National Guard and Reserve members who were called to 
Active Duty. H.R. 4757 very rightly expands eligibility for a 
Presidential Memorial Certificate to members of the Reserve component 
of the Armed Forces and the Army National Guard or the Air National 
Guard eligible for interment or inurnment in national cemeteries.
  Finally, current law only allows VA to pay for the cost of 
transporting the remains of a deceased veteran to the nearest open 
national cemetery. If it is the family's choice instead to be buried in 
a State or tribal veteran's cemetery, H.R. 4757 authorizes VA to pay 
the costs associated with transporting the remains of an eligible 
deceased veteran to that cemetery nearest to the deceased veteran's 
last residence.
  Mr. Speaker, honoring the memory of deceased veterans is our greatest 
responsibility at the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and I am pleased 
to support Chairman Miller's legislation which refines and improves on 
the ways we are doing that. I encourage my colleagues to support this 
important legislation and join me in passing H.R. 4757, as amended.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge all my colleagues to 
support H.R. 4757, as amended.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4757, 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. MILLER of Florida. 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.

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