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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10301 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10301

To require the Secretary of the Army to accelerate actions necessary to 
       carry out caisson services at Arlington National Cemetery.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 5, 2024

 Mr. Buchanan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To require the Secretary of the Army to accelerate actions necessary to 
       carry out caisson services at Arlington National Cemetery.

    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 ``The Honoring Our Heroes with Dignity 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PLAN FOR PROCUREMENT OF MILITARY WORKING EQUIDS FOR THE CAISSON 
              PLATOON OF THE 3RD INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE ARMY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to 
Congress a detailed plan for the procurement of military working equids 
for the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Army.
    (b) Consultation.--In developing the plan required by subsection 
(a), the Secretary of the Army shall consult with--
            (1) the Mounted Color Guard of the Marine Corps;
            (2) the Navy, the Air Force, the Space Force, and the Coast 
        Guard; and
            (3) at least two nationally recognized equid organizations, 
        foundations, or councils.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT TO BEGIN CONDUCTING FUNERALS WITH CAISSON SERVICES 
              AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall--
            (1) begin conducting at least two funerals with caisson 
        services each week, or a total of four services in a two week 
        period, at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia; or
            (2) enter into a contract with a nongovernmental entity 
        described in subsection (b).
    (b) Contract Described.--The contract described in this subsection 
shall--
            (1) require that the nongovernmental entity--
                    (A) begin providing services under the contract not 
                later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of 
                this Act;
                    (B) provide the military working equids necessary 
                to conduct caisson services for at least one funeral 
                each business day, other than Federal holidays, at 
                Arlington National Cemetery, until the funerals 
                backlogged at such cemetery as of the date of the 
                enactment of this Act are conducted; and
                    (C) after the backlogged funerals described in 
                subparagraph (B) are conducted, to continue to provide 
                services to meet the requirement of caisson services 
                for funerals until the Army is capable of conducting at 
                least one funeral with caisson services each business 
                day;
            (2) specify that Army uniformed soldiers and not contract 
        personnel will participate by riding the military working 
        equids in the funeral ceremonies; and
            (3) terminate when the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd Infantry 
        Regiment of the Army begins conducting at least one funeral 
        with caisson services each business day.

SEC. 4. MONTHLY REPORT ON FUNERALS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY ON 
              HOLD UNTIL CAISSON SERVICES RESUME.

    Section 7721 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f) Monthly Report on Caisson Services.--Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and not less 
frequently than once every 30 days thereafter, the Secretary of the 
Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on 
the number of families that have requested caisson services at 
Arlington National Cemetery and are waiting to hold funerals until 
caisson services resume.''.

SEC. 5. LAND FOR OPERATIONS AND TRAINING OF CAISSON PLATOON OF THE 3RD 
              INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE ARMY.

    Section 366 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 137 Stat. 234; 10 U.S.C. 7721 note) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Land for Operations and Training.--In acquiring the land 
necessary for the operations and training of the Caisson Platoon of the 
3rd Infantry Regiment of the Army, the Secretary of the Army shall 
consider land in West Virginia and Virginia.''.
                                 <all>
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