WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

H.R. 2721 · 119th Congress

Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025

Passed HouseArmed Forces and National Security
IntroducedApr 8, 2025
Passed HouseSep 16, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Passed House. Latest step, Sep 17, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The House passed it 413–0. All 4 of Iowa's representatives voted yes in the House. It would change 1 section of existing law and would add 1 new provisions of its own.

How this bill changes the law

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H.R. 2721 would change 1 section of existing law, and would create 1 new provision of its own. Read from the bill text as sent to the Senate (Sep 17, 2025).

38 U.S.C. 5503 Hospitalized veterans and estates of incompetent institutionalized veterans

  • (d) (1) For the purposes of this subsection— changed · Sec. 3 · see the words

New provisions of the bill's own

  • Sec. 2 Temporary authority to furnish headstones and burial markers to certain veterans
What the words would change: every change, in place (1)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 38 U.S.C. 5503(d)(7)changedby H.R. 2721 Sec. 3

    (7) This subsection expires on November 30, 2031February 29, 2032.

    The bill says: Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking "November 30, 2031" and inserting "February 29, 2032".

    Bill text · Current law (38 U.S.C. 5503)

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

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Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and implement a two-year pilot program to furnish, when requested, an appropriate headstone or burial marker to commemorate covered veterans. Covered veterans are veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and were released or discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable. Currently, these benefits are only available to eligible veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990.

The bill requires the VA to update the National Cemetery Administration website with respect to the requirements for eligibility for a headstone or burial marker.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Apr 8, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

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  1. Sep 16, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 269). (text: 09/16/2026 CR H4286) Roll call recordLibrary of Congress
  2. Sep 15, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-274.Library of Congress
  3. Apr 8, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Show all 20 recorded actions

Recorded votes

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  1. Sep 16, 2025 · HousePassed 413–0
    Iowa: Randy Feenstra yes, Ashley Hinson yes, Mariannette Miller-Meeks yes, Zachary Nunn yes
    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · needed two-thirds
    R 209 yes, 0 noD 204 yes, 0 noEach member · Record