Sponsors (12)
The bill lets families more visibly honor deceased service members by permitting upright flags at graves and removes regulatory uncertainty, at the expense of modest local costs and possible impacts on cemetery appearance and maintenance.
Families of deceased service members and veterans can place a secured upright U.S. flag directly adjacent to a loved one's grave, making it easier to display personal tributes and honor military service.
Federal permission is clarified for displaying upright flags at graves, reducing uncertainty for cemetery administrators, funeral organizers, and the public about compliance with the flag code.
Allowing flags directly adjacent to graves could complicate uniform appearance and routine maintenance in some national and private cemeteries, potentially affecting the look and upkeep of veterans' burial sites.
Local cemeteries or memorial sites may incur modest costs or need to update rules and procedures to allow or secure upright flags next to graves.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Permits a secured, upright U.S. flag to be displayed directly adjacent to the grave of a deceased service member or veteran, overriding other flag-code limits.
Allows the U.S. flag to be placed upright and secured directly next to the grave of any deceased member of the Armed Forces or veteran, even if other rules in the flag code would otherwise restrict that placement. It adds a new exception to the federal flag-display law so flags may be displayed adjacent to qualifying gravesites.
Official title: To amend title 4, United States Code, to allow for cemetery flags to be displayed in an upright position directly adjacent to the grave sites of deceased members of the Armed Forces or veterans, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 12, 2025 by Bryan Steil · Last progress June 12, 2025