S. 2700 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2700 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 30, 2014 Mr. Portman (for himself and Mr. Tester) 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 identify the persons who are eligible to request headstones or markers furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Honor Those Who Served Act of 2014. 2. Persons eligible to request headstones or 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: (h) (1) A person may request a headstone or marker to commemorate a decedent under this section if the person is— (A) the decedent’s next of kin; (B) a person authorized in writing by the decedent’s next of kin to make such request; (C) a personal representative authorized in writing by the decedent to make such request; (D) in the case of a decedent for which no person described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) may be identified, a State veterans service agency, a military researcher, a local historian, or a genealogist or other person familiar with the research sources and methods necessary to prove the identity of the decedent; or (E) in the case of a decedent who is a veteran who served on active duty in the Armed Forces at least 75 years before the date on which the headstone or marker is requested, any person. (2) In the case of a request for a headstone or marker under this section for a decedent described in subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) made by a person who is not the decedent's next of kin, the Secretary shall ensure that the decedent's next of kin has the opportunity to object to the placement of the headstone or marker or request the removal of the headstone or marker, as appropriate. (3) In the case of a request for a headstone or marker under this section for a decedent described in subparagraph (D) or (E) of paragraph (1) made by a person who is not described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of such paragraph, the person requesting the headstone or marker may only request an emblem of belief for the headstone or marker if the person can provide sufficient evidence regarding the religious beliefs of the decedent. . (b) Effective date Subsection (h) of section 2306 of such title, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to a request for a headstone or marker submitted after the date of the enactment of this Act.