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.
Bill: S.3261 | Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike (R-IN)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill provides statutory authority for the inclusion of certain emblems on headstones or markers furnished for veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Such headstones or markers may include an emblem from a list established by the Department of Defense and the VA (e.g., skill or combat badges), an emblem of belief, or no emblem.

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.

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

SECTION 1. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN EMBLEMS ON HEADSTONES AND MARKERS 
              FURNISHED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(l)(1) A headstone or marker furnished for a veteran under 
subsection (a), (b), or (d) may include--
            ``(A) no emblem;
            ``(B) an emblem of belief; or
            ``(C) an emblem from among a list of emblems that the 
        Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary, shall 
        establish.
    ``(2) The list established under paragraph (1)(C) shall include the 
following:
            ``(A) An emblem with respect to--
                    ``(i) each unit at the level of separate brigade or 
                higher in the Army and each equivalent unit in the 
                Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; and
                    ``(ii) each skill or combat badge or tab earned by 
                a member of the Armed Forces.
            ``(B) One or more emblems of the commissioned Regular Corps 
        of the Public Health Service.
            ``(C) One or more emblems of the commissioned officer corps 
        of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            ``(D) Such other emblems as the Secretary of Defense, in 
        coordination with the Secretary, considers appropriate and 
        practical, such as the Marine Corps emblem or Army Infantry 
        insignia.
    ``(3) The Secretary of Defense shall provide the Secretary with a 
digitized representation of each emblem included in the list 
established under paragraph (1)(C).''.
    (b) Establishment of List of Approved Emblems.--Not later than June 
1, 2022, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, shall establish the list of approved emblems 
required by paragraph (1)(C) of subsection (l) of such section 2306, as 
added by subsection (a), in accordance with such subsection (l).
    (c) Availability of Approved Emblems.--Not later than October 1, 
2022, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make the emblems on the 
list of approved emblems required by subsection (l)(1)(C) of such 
section 2306, as added by subsection (a), available for inclusion on 
headstones and markers.
    (d) Applicability.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to headstones and markers furnished by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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