The Headstones for Honor Act expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs headstones, markers, and medallions to include enslaved individuals who accompanied armed forces members during military service and individuals who performed military functions while legally prohibited from serving based on race, gender, or ethnicity. The bill specifically addresses historical inequities by requiring that headstones for enslaved people who served with the Confederate Army or Navy include language noting they were forced to support their own enslavement. Requests for these markers can only be made by direct descendants or individuals approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to represent descendants. The Secretary must issue regulations within one year of enactment that define "military function," establish what evidence proves service (including pay records, diaries, photographs, and church records), and should solicit input from historians, civil rights groups, and descendants. The bill requires a report to Congress within 15 months on implementation progress.
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