Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9006
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-30: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T08:09:16Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create a centralized system for storing and evaluating information on unclaimed remains suspected to belong to veterans. The goal is to improve identification of such remains and efforts to locate next-of-kin.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary, through the Under Secretary for Benefits, must establish a centralized Department of Veterans Affairs system to store data on unclaimed remains received from coroners, state governments, and funeral homes.
- The system must include, when available, the veteran’s name, fingerprints, estimated age at death, and other identifiers needed to confirm veteran status.
- The Secretary must use existing memoranda of understanding to request relevant data from the Social Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Defense; new or modified agreements may also be pursued.
- Information from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System must be considered when requesting data from the FBI.
- The system expires at the end of the third fiscal year after enactment.
- The Secretary must submit annual reports to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees for three years, covering implementation, outreach, and the number of remains successfully identified.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill creates a new, time-limited centralized information system within the Department of Veterans Affairs. It does not amend existing statutes but establishes a structured process for collecting and sharing data on unclaimed remains that previously lacked a dedicated federal repository.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop and maintain the system and coordinate data sharing with the Social Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Defense.
- Citizens: May increase the likelihood that unclaimed remains of veterans are identified and that next-of-kin are located.
- International relations: No direct effects are specified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Veterans’ next-of-kin and families
- Coroners, state governments, and funeral homes that handle unclaimed remains
- Social Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Defense (for data-sharing purposes)
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation involves collection and sharing of personal identifiers such as fingerprints, which raises standard data-privacy considerations under existing federal laws. It contains no explicit constitutional provisions or political mandates beyond the creation of the temporary system and reporting requirements.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-30: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
- 2026-06-30: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-06-25: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 2026-06-22: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- 2026-05-21: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2026-05-21: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-21: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act — issued 2026-05-21 — PDF (5 pages)