The "Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act" mandates the American Battle Monuments Commission to identify and appropriately mark the graves of deceased Jewish U.S. servicemembers buried under incorrect religious symbols in overseas military cemeteries, and to inform their families.
Jerry Moran
Senator
KS
The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act aims to identify and properly honor deceased Jewish members of the Armed Forces mistakenly buried under non-Jewish markers in U.S. military cemeteries overseas. The American Battle Monuments Commission will manage a 10-year program, partnering with a nonprofit organization to identify these servicemembers and contact their families, ensuring their religious heritage is appropriately recognized. $500,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for each of the 10 fiscal years to carry out this section.
Bill Creates 10-Year, $5M Program to Correct Grave Markers for Fallen Jewish Servicemembers Overseas
This legislation, the "Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act," sets up a dedicated program to address a specific historical error: identifying and correcting the grave markers of Jewish American servicemembers buried overseas under markers, like Latin Crosses, that don't reflect their faith. The bill authorizes $500,000 per year for 10 years, totaling $5 million, for this effort, managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), the agency responsible for U.S. military cemeteries abroad.
Addressing a Longstanding Error
The bill acknowledges findings that around 900 American-Jewish servicemembers, primarily from World War I and World War II, were mistakenly buried under Latin Crosses in overseas cemeteries managed by the ABMC. Recognizing the immense sacrifice of these individuals and the importance of accurately honoring their heritage, the legislation aims to rectify these specific instances. The core goal is to ensure the final resting places of these servicemembers properly reflect their religious identity, fulfilling what the bill describes as a governmental responsibility.
The Restoration Program: Nuts and Bolts
Here’s how it's designed to work: The ABMC will oversee the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program for a decade. Each year, the Commission is directed to contract with a qualified non-profit organization – specifically a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt group, ideally one with experience in this area – using the allocated $500,000. This organization's job will be twofold: first, to research and identify the servicemembers whose grave markers need correction; second, to attempt to contact living survivors or descendants. The funding is specifically authorized for these purposes over the 10-fiscal-year period.
Real-World Impact: Honoring Heritage
For the families and descendants of the affected servicemembers, this program offers a path to ensuring their loved one's identity and sacrifice are accurately represented at their final resting place—a significant act of remembrance and respect. It directly tasks the ABMC and a partner organization with the sensitive work of correcting historical records and physical markers. By dedicating specific funding and a clear timeframe, the bill provides a structured approach to address the errors noted in its findings, aiming to restore the intended religious heritage markers for those who served.