H.R.2701 - Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.2701, 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 bill allocates $500,000 annually for ten fiscal years to a nonprofit organization to carry out this program.
The goal is to correct past mistakes and properly honor the heritage of these servicemembers. The bill emphasizes the importance of recognizing the contributions of American-Jewish servicemembers in World War I and World War II.
The bill defines "covered member" as a deceased member of the Armed Forces who was Jewish and buried in a United States military cemetery located outside the United States under a marker that indicates such member was not Jewish.
Expected Effects
This act will likely lead to the identification and correction of headstones for approximately 900 American-Jewish servicemembers who were mistakenly buried under Latin Crosses in overseas military cemeteries.
It will also increase awareness and recognition of the contributions of Jewish-American servicemembers. The program will provide closure and a sense of justice for the descendants of these servicemembers.
Potential Benefits
- Corrects historical inaccuracies in the identification of deceased American-Jewish servicemembers.
- Honors the religious heritage of those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
- Provides closure and recognition for the families and descendants of these servicemembers.
- Reinforces the commitment of the United States government to properly honor all servicemembers.
- Promotes awareness of the contributions of American-Jewish servicemembers to the Allied victories in World War I and World War II.
Potential Disadvantages
- The cost of $500,000 per year for ten years could be considered a burden on taxpayers, although relatively small in the context of the overall federal budget.
- The focus on a specific religious group could potentially be perceived as preferential treatment, although the intent is to correct past errors.
- There is a risk that the identification process may be challenging and time-consuming, potentially leading to incomplete results.
- The act does not address potential similar issues for servicemembers of other religious or cultural backgrounds who may have been misidentified.
- The act's limited scope to overseas cemeteries might exclude similar errors within the United States.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with constitutional principles, particularly regarding religious freedom and equal protection under the law. While the First Amendment prohibits government establishment of religion, it also protects the free exercise thereof. Correcting past errors in religious identification can be seen as supporting religious freedom.
Furthermore, the principle of equal protection suggests that the government should not discriminate against individuals based on their religion. Addressing the misidentification of Jewish servicemembers can be viewed as an effort to rectify past inequalities and ensure that all servicemembers are honored appropriately, regardless of their religious background.
However, some might argue that singling out a specific religious group could raise concerns about government endorsement of religion. However, the context of correcting past errors and ensuring accurate representation mitigates this concern.
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).