Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and implement a two-year pilot program to furnish, when requested, an appropriate headstone or burial marker to commemorate covered veterans. Covered veterans are veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and were released or discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable. Currently, these benefits are only available to eligible veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990.
The bill requires the VA to update the National Cemetery Administration website with respect to the requirements for eligibility for a headstone or burial marker.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2721 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 8, 2025
Mr. Kennedy of New York introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
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. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM TO FURNISH
HEADSTONES AND BURIAL MARKERS TO COVERED VETERANS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through
the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, shall establish and carry out
a pilot program under which the Secretary shall furnish, when
requested, an appropriate headstone or burial marker for the purpose of
commemorating a covered veteran.
(b) Applications.--An individual desiring to request a headstone or
marker for the purpose of commemorating a covered veteran under such
pilot program shall submit to the Secretary an application in such
time, in such form, and containing such information and assurances as
the Secretary considers appropriate.
(c) Update to Eligibility Requirements.--During the period the
authority to carry out the pilot program under this section is
effective, the Under Secretary shall update the internet website of the
National Cemetery Administration with respect to the requirements for
eligibility for a headstone or burial marker under the laws
administered by the Secretary.
(d) Termination Date.--The authority of the Secretary to carry out
the pilot program under this section shall terminate on the date that
is two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e) Covered Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered
veteran'' means a veteran (as defined in section 101 of title 38,
United States Code) who died on or before November 1, 1990.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-274.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-274.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 230.
Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4286)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2721.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4330)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 269). (text: 09/16/2026 CR H4286)
Roll Call #269 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 269). (text: 09/16/2026 CR H4286)
Roll Call #269 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.