Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act

This bill tells the American Battle Monuments Commission to run a program to find Jewish American service members who are buried in U.S. military cemeteries overseas under grave markers that do not show they were Jewish, and to reach out to their families and descendants. The goal is to correct past mistakes and honor their true heritage. Congress notes there may be about 900 such graves from World War I and World War II, and that millions visit these cemeteries each year, so getting the markers right matters .

For the first 10 fiscal years after the law takes effect, the Commission must seek to hire a nonprofit each year to carry out the work. Each one-year contract would be for $500,000, with priority for a nonprofit that has proven experience. The bill authorizes $500,000 per year to fund this program during that period.

• Who is affected: Jewish service members buried in U.S. military cemeteries outside the United States under incorrect markers, and their survivors and descendants.
• What changes: A new program to identify these graves and contact families, with the aim of fixing markers to reflect the service member’s Jewish heritage.
• When: Runs for the first 10 fiscal years after enactment.
• Funding: $500,000 per year; the Commission seeks a one-year, $500,000 contract with a nonprofit each year, prioritizing groups with relevant expertise.