Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act
Summary
The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage. The program, named the ``Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program'', will run for ten fiscal years. It will involve contracting with a nonprofit organization to identify covered members and contact their survivors and descendants.
Expected Effects
This act will likely lead to the correction of historical records and markers in overseas military cemeteries. It ensures that the religious heritage of deceased American-Jewish servicemembers is properly recognized and honored. The act also allocates funding for this purpose, demonstrating a commitment to rectifying past errors.
Potential Benefits
- Corrects historical inaccuracies in military cemeteries.
- Honors the religious heritage of American-Jewish servicemembers.
- Provides resources for identifying and contacting families of affected servicemembers.
- Affirms the government's responsibility to properly honor those who died in service.
- Supports a nonprofit organization dedicated to this cause.
Potential Disadvantages
- The program is limited to a specific group (American-Jewish servicemembers) and a specific error (incorrect religious markers).
- The cost of $500,000 per year for ten years may be seen as a significant expenditure for a relatively narrow issue.
- The act relies on a single nonprofit organization to carry out the program, potentially limiting oversight and competition.
- There may be challenges in accurately identifying covered members and locating their descendants.
- The focus on past errors might overshadow current needs and challenges faced by servicemembers.
Constitutional Alignment
The act aligns with the principle of religious freedom, as it seeks to correct past errors in representing the religious affiliation of deceased servicemembers. While the First Amendment prohibits government establishment of religion, it also protects the free exercise thereof. This act can be seen as supporting the latter by ensuring accurate representation of religious identity, and honoring those who served. There is no obvious conflict with any other part of the Constitution.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).