Sponsors
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Allows the remains of a member of the Armed Forces who dies from an injury incurred in the line of duty to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol rotunda at the request of that member’s primary surviving next of kin. It requires the relevant Secretary to notify the next of kin and directs the Architect of the Capitol, under the Speaker and President pro tempore, to implement the process, set timing, and issue regulations to determine the primary surviving next of kin. The rule applies to deaths on or after the date of enactment and excludes injuries excepted under 38 U.S.C. §105.
The bill standardizes and authorizes ceremonial lying in honor for qualifying fallen service members—giving families formal national recognition and clearer procedures—while leaving some families excluded under existing law, creating potential disputes over next-of-kin determinations, and imposing modest administrative costs.
Parents and other primary surviving family members of service members who died in the line of duty: gain a clear ability to request that the deceased lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, providing formal national recognition for qualifying fallen service members.
Military departments and bereaved families: receive a uniform process and a duty for Secretaries to notify eligible next of kin, improving consistency and reducing confusion about eligibility and how to request the honor.
Federal operational staff and event coordinators: gain explicit authority for the Architect of the Capitol to set dates, times, and regulations for lying in honor ceremonies, enabling orderly implementation and coordination with congressional leadership.
Some families of deceased service members: will be ineligible for an honor lying if the death falls under statutory exclusions (38 U.S.C. §105), which may cause disappointment and perceptions of unfairness.
Primary surviving next of kin and their families: may face disputes or delays resolving who qualifies as the primary next of kin under any implementing regulations, adding stress during bereavement.
Taxpayers and federal agencies: will incur administrative and operational costs to implement notification duties, regulatory development, and ceremonial arrangements for lying in honor events.
Introduced May 29, 2025 by Brian Jeffrey Mast · Last progress May 29, 2025