To amend title 36 of the United States Code to ensure that memorials commemorating the service of the United States Armed Forces may contain religious symbols, and for other purposes.

May 10, 2005

Mr. HUNTER (for himself, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. LEWIS of California, and Mr. ISSA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

To amend title 36 of the United States Code to ensure that memorials commemorating the service of the United States Armed Forces may contain religious symbols, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `War Memorial Preservation Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS AS PART OF MILITARY MEMORIALS.

(a) Authority- Chapter 21 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 2113. Inclusion of religious symbols as part of military memorials

`(a) Inclusion of Religious Symbols Authorized- To recognize the religious background of members of the United States Armed Forces, religious symbols may be included as part of--

`(1) a military memorial that is established or acquired by the United States Government; or

`(2) a military memorial that is not established by the United States Government, but for which the American Battle Monuments Commission cooperated in the establishment of the memorial.

`(b) Limitation on Jurisdiction- No court created by Act of Congress shall have any jurisdiction, and the Supreme Court shall have no appellate jurisdiction, to hear or decide any question pertaining to the interpretation of, or the validity under the Constitution of, this section.

`(c) Military Memorial Defined- In this section, the term `military memorial' means a memorial or monument commemorating the service of the United States Armed Forces. The term includes works of architecture and art described in section 2105(b) of this title.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`2113. Inclusion of religious symbols as part of military memorials.'.

END