Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025

Bill: 119-hr-2721
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]
Introduced: 2025-04-08
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals

Government information and archives

Internet, web applications, social media

Veterans' organizations and recognition
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-17
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-04-08
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025</strong></p><p>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.</p><p>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.&nbsp;</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2721 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs AN ACT 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 . 2. Temporary authority to furnish headstones and burial markers to certain veterans (a) Authority During the period of seven years following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish, pursuant to section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, and without regards to section 8041(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 ( Public Law 101–508 ), an appropriate headstone, burial marker, or medallion for a veteran— (1) eligible for burial in a national cemetery; (2) who died on or after December 7, 1941; and (3) for whose grave the Secretary has not already provided a headstone, burial marker, or medallion. (b) Website During such period, the Secretary shall ensure that the website of the National Cemetery Administration indicates the effect of this Act on eligibility for a headstone, burial marker, or medallion under such section. 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting February 29, 2032 .

Passed the House of Representatives September 16, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2721 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 . 2. Temporary authority to furnish headstones and burial markers to certain veterans (a) Authority During the period of seven years following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish, pursuant to section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, and without regards to section 8041(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 ( Public Law 101–508 ), an appropriate headstone, burial marker, or medallion for a veteran— (1) eligible for burial in a national cemetery; (2) who died on or after December 7, 1941; and (3) for whose grave the Secretary has not already provided a headstone, burial marker, or medallion. (b) Website During such period, the Secretary shall ensure that the website of the National Cemetery Administration indicates the effect of this Act on eligibility for a headstone, burial marker, or medallion under such section. 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting February 29, 2032 .

Passed the House of Representatives September 16, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 230 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2721 [Report No. 119–274] 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 September 15, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 8, 2025 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 . 2. Temporary authority to furnish headstones and burial markers to certain veterans (a) Authority During the period of seven years following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish, pursuant to section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, and without regards to section 8041(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 ( Public Law 101–508 ), an appropriate headstone, burial marker, or medallion for a veteran— (1) eligible for burial in a national cemetery; (2) who died on or after December 7, 1941; and (3) for whose grave the Secretary has not already provided a headstone, burial marker, or medallion. (b) Website During such period, the Secretary shall ensure that the website of the National Cemetery Administration indicates the effect of this Act on eligibility for a headstone, burial marker, or medallion under such section. 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting February 29, 2032 .

September 15, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2721 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 . 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.