Bills
| 3.23.22

Should the Families of Killed or Missing Troops Participate in the Veterans History Project? (H.R. 4511)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 4511?

(Updated August 5, 2019)

This bill was enacted on November 28, 2016

This bill would require the Veterans’ Oral History Project to allow the immediate family members of servicemembers who are killed or missing in action to participate in the Veterans History Project. Currently, those immediate family members aren’t been allowed to participate in the Project and offer stories of their loved ones as only first-hand accounts of living veterans are used.

Among the immediate family members who can participate would be parents, spouses, siblings, and/or children.

Argument in favor

The Veterans History Project would only be enhanced by allowing the immediate family members of military members who are killed or missing in action to tell stories about their loved ones.

Argument opposed

It would be better for the Veterans History Project to continue to only use interviews with living veterans who talk about their fallen or missing comrades.

Impact

The immediate family members of killed or missing servicemembers; the Veterans History Project; and the Library of Congress.

Cost of H.R. 4511

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced this bill to ensure that the family members of killed or missing servicemembers are able to participate in the Veterans History Project:

“The Veterans History Project was created to turn memories into history, to memorialize the lives of the heroes whose selfless sacrifice we will never forget. The Gold Star Families Voices Act will provide family members with an opportunity to create a lasting narrative and living record of their fallen loved ones.”

The Committee on House Administration passed this legislation in a unanimous voice vote and it currently has the bipartisan support of seven House cosponsors, including five Republicans and two Democrats.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Flickr user pirateyjoe)