A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for

Federal

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain emblems on headstones and markers furnished for veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Source: Congress.gov · 610 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill changes the law about symbols that can appear on headstones and markers given to veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The bill allows veterans' headstones and markers to include emblems of belief, military unit emblems, or skill badges that a service member earned.

Who It Affects

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, and veterans who receive headstones or markers from the federal government.

Key Provisions

• Veterans' headstones and markers can now include no emblem, an emblem of belief, or an emblem from a list created by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs working with the Secretary of Defense (Sec. 1(a)). • The approved emblem list must include symbols for each Army division or higher-level unit and equivalent units in the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, plus each skill or combat badge or tab earned by armed forces members (Sec. 1(a)). • The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must create the list of approved emblems within 180 days after this law passes (Sec. 1(b)). • The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must make these approved emblems available for use on headstones and markers within 360 days after this law passes (Sec. 1(c)).

What Changes

Veterans can now choose to include specific military emblems on their headstones and markers. Previously, the bill text does not specify what options existed.

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text.

Effective Date

The changes apply to headstones and markers provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs after the date this law is enacted (Sec. 1(d)).

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1100 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain emblems on headstones and markers furnished for veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 30, 2023 Mr. BRAUN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain emblems on headstones and markers furnished for veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Af- fairs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN EMBLEMS ON 3 HEADSTONES AND MARKERS FURNISHED BY 4 THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2306 of title 38, United 6 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol- 7 lowing new subsection: 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:01 Apr 11, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1100.IS S1100 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •S 1100 IS ‘‘(l)(1) A headstone or marker furnished for a veteran 1 under subsection (a), (b), or (d) may include— 2 ‘‘(A) no emblem; 3 ‘‘(B) an emblem of belief; or 4 ‘‘(C) an emblem from among a list of emblems 5 that the Secretary, in coordination with the Sec- 6 retary of Defense, shall establish. 7 ‘‘(2) The list established under paragraph (1)(C) 8 shall include the following: 9 ‘‘(A) An emblem with respect to— 10 ‘‘(i) each unit at the level of division or 11 higher in the Army and each equivalent unit in 12 the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space 13 Force, and Coast Guard; and 14 ‘‘(ii) each skill or combat badge or tab 15 earned by a member of the Armed Forces. 16 ‘‘(B) Such other emblems as the Secretary, in 17 coordination with the Secretary of Defense, con- 18 siders appropriate and practical, such as the Marine 19 Corps emblem or Army Infantry insignia. 20 ‘‘(3) The Secretary of Defense shall provide the Sec- 21 retary with a digitized representation of each emblem in- 22 cluded in the list established under paragraph (1)(C).’’. 23 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF LIST OF APPROVED EM- 24 BLEMS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:01 Apr 11, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1100.IS S1100 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •S 1100 IS enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 1 in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall estab- 2 lish the list of approved emblems required by paragraph 3 (1)(C) of subsection (l) of such section 2306, as added 4 by subsection (a), in accordance with such subsection (l). 5 (c) AVAILABILITY OF APPROVED EMBLEMS.—Not 6 later than 360 days after the date of the enactment of 7 this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make the 8 emblems on the list of approved emblems required by sub- 9 section (l)(1)(C) of such section 2306, as added by sub- 10 section (a), available for inclusion on headstones and 11 markers. 12 (d) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub- 13 section (a) shall apply with respect to headstones and 14 markers furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 15 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:01 Apr 11, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S1100.IS S1100 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB

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