Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act

The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act would establish a program within the American Battle Monuments Commission to address a specific historical issue affecting Jewish military personnel. The program would identify deceased members of the Armed Forces who were Jewish but were buried in U.S. military cemeteries located outside the United States under markers that do not indicate their Jewish faith. Once identified, the ABMC would be required to contact the survivors and descendants of these servicemembers to inform them of the discrepancy.

To carry out this work, the bill would direct the ABMC to contract with a nonprofit organization during the first 10 fiscal years after the bill becomes law. This approach allows the government to partner with organizations that may have expertise in genealogical research, Jewish heritage documentation, or veteran services to efficiently locate and verify the records of affected servicemembers and their families.

The practical impact for citizens would primarily affect families of Jewish servicemembers buried in overseas military cemeteries. These families would have the opportunity to correct historical records and ensure their loved ones' religious identity is properly recognized and documented. The bill has passed the Senate without amendment and is now being considered by the House of Representatives.