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H.R. 2721

U.S. House•In Senate Committee

Summary

H.R. 2721, the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025, was introduced in the House on Apr 8, 2025 by Rep. Timothy Kennedy (D). It was referred to Veterans' Affairs, and last saw action on Sep 17, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Record

Text

H.R. 2721 has 1 roll call.

hb2721/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 2721 EH: Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I
 119th CONGRESS  1st Session
 H. R. 2721
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and carry out a pilot program to furnish a headstone or burial marker to veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025  .
2.
Temporary authority to furnish headstones and burial markers to certain veterans
(a)
Authority
During the period of seven years following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish, pursuant to section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, and without regards to section 8041(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 ( Public Law 101–508 ), an appropriate headstone, burial marker, or medallion for a veteran—
(1)
eligible for burial in a national cemetery;
(2)
who died on or after December 7, 1941; and
(3)
for whose grave the Secretary has not already provided a headstone, burial marker, or medallion.
(b)
Website
During such period, the Secretary shall ensure that the website of the National Cemetery Administration indicates the effect of this Act on eligibility for a headstone, burial marker, or medallion under such section.
3.
Extension of certain limits on payments of pension
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking  November 30, 2031  and inserting  February 29, 2032 .
      Passed the House of Representatives September 16, 2025.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-04-08
  2. Passed House2025-09-16
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Apr 8, 2025

hb2721/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (04/08/2025)

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.

Sponsors

Rep. Timothy Kennedy (D) sponsors H.R. 2721 alone.

Committees

H.R. 2721 went before 3 committees: Veterans' Affairs, Veterans' Affairs and Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Veterans' Affairs
Veterans' Affairs
Referred To · Sep 17, 2025
Veterans' Affairs
Veterans' Affairs
Reported By · Sep 15, 2025 · 285 Bills
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee
Hearings By (subcommittee) · Jun 24, 2025 · 62 Bills

Reports

1 committee report has been filed on H.R. 2721, the latest H. Rept. 119-274.

Actions

H.R. 2721 has taken 18 actions since Apr 8, 2025, the latest on Sep 17, 2025.

ChamberAction
Sep 17, 2025
Senate
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.Veterans' Affairs Committee
Sep 16, 202514:44
House
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4330)
Sep 16, 202514:50
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)House roll call 269 413–0
Sep 16, 202514:50
House
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Sep 16, 202514:50
—
Passed/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 269

Votes

H.R. 2721 went to 1 roll call in the House, the latest on Sep 16, 2025 at 413–0.

ChamberQuestion
Yea
Nay
Sep 16, 2025
House
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
413
0

Titles

H.R. 2721 goes by 7 titles, 4 of them short titles.

  • To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and carry out a pilot program to furnish a headstone or burial marker to veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and for other purposes. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 — Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
  • Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Passed House
  • Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 — Display Title
  • Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and carry out a pilot program to furnish a headstone or burial marker to veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Cost estimate

The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for H.R. 2721, the latest on Sep 5, 2025.

Lobbying

2 clients hired 2 firms and 19 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 2721 in 10 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Veterans, Budget/Appropriations, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, Government Issues, Medical/Disease Research/Clinical Labs, Medicare/Medicaid, Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Transportation.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS—District of Columbia15—
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA—District of Columbia15—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS15—
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA15—

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
HEATHER ANSLEY115
JEREMY VILLANUEVA115
JON RETZER115
JULIE HOWELL115
MORGAN BROWN115
NAOMI MATHIS115
PETER DICKINSON115
SHAMALA CAPIZZI115
JOSEPH LEMAY114
SHANE LIERMANN114
ANTHONYA JAMES113
JOY ILEM113
LISA ELIJAH113
ANTHONYA HOLLINS112
DANICA GONZALVES112
JENNIFER HUNT112
KEVIN MILLER112
MARQUIS BAREFIELD111
ROSCOE BUTLER111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2026 first_quarter$175.9K1st Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 fourth_quarter$161.3K4th Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2026 second_quarter$149.2K2nd Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 third_quarter$141.4K3rd Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 second_quarter$141.4K2nd Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2026 second_quarter$112.1K2nd Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2026 first_quarter$108.2K1st Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 second_quarter$89.2K2nd Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 fourth_quarter$87.2K4th Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 third_quarter$87.2K3rd Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 2721 under Armed Forces and National Security, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 4 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 2721’s is Armed Forces and National Security.

hr2721/policy-areas.txt
Armed Forces and National SecurityAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 2721 carries 4 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Cemeteries and funerals to Veterans' organizations and recognition.

hr2721/subjects.txt
Cemeteries and funeralsGovernment information and archivesInternet, web applications, social mediaVeterans' organizations and recognition

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 2721, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. KENNEDY of New York:H.R. 2721.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Clause 3, Section 8, Article 1 of the Constitution[Page H1508]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com