H.R. 3791 – Reading Mode

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3791

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 14, 2017

Mr. Schrader (for himself, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Walden, Mr. Blumenauer, and Mr. DeFazio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To ensure that United States Government personnel, including members of the Armed Forces and contractors, assigned to United States diplomatic missions are given the opportunity to designate next-of-kin for certain purposes in the event of the death of the personnel.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the US Navy SEAL SCPO Tyrone Snowden Woods Ceremony Invitee Act of 2017.

Invitation of designated next-of-kin to ceremonies honoring United States diplomatic mission personnel who die in service to the United States

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Diplomatic mission

The term diplomatic mission means any United States diplomatic or consular post or other mission under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State.

(2)

Member

The term member of a diplomatic mission means any Government official or employee, any member of the Armed Forces, or any United States citizen employed as a contractor, who is serving at, or is notified of imminent assignment to, a diplomatic mission.

(3)

Memorial service

The term memorial service means an official event sponsored or held by a Federal agency to which members of the public are invited to honor the life of a member of a diplomatic mission who died in service to the United States.

(4)

Next-of-kin

The term next-of-kin, with respect to a deceased member of a diplomatic mission, means the following individuals:

(A)

The surviving spouse of the deceased member.

(B)

The child or children of the deceased member (including stepchildren, adopted children, and illegitimate children).

(C)

The parent or parents of the deceased member (including a natural parent, a stepparent, a parent of the member by adoption, a parent, stepparent, or adopted parent of the surviving spouse, and any other person who has stood in loco parentis to the member at any time for a continuous period of at least five years before the member became 21 years of age).

(D)

The sibling or siblings of the deceased member (including stepsiblings and siblings by adoption).

(E)

The person authorized to direct the disposition of the remains of the deceased member.

(b)

Policy for Designation of next-of-Kin

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall—

(1)

proscribe a policy by which a member of a diplomatic mission may designate those next-of-kin who will be invited to, and be entitled to attend, any memorial service held to honor the life of the member of a diplomatic mission in the event of the death of the member in service to the United States;

(2)

publicize the existence of the policy to each member of a diplomatic mission; and

(3)

make forms reasonably available to each member of a diplomatic mission by which the designation of such next-of-kin may be made.

(c)

Consultation

The Secretary of State shall carry out this section in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the head of any other Federal agency that assign persons to serve as a member of a diplomatic mission.

(d)

Effect of failure To make designation

If a member of a diplomatic mission fails to complete the form described in subsection (b)(3) before the death of the member, the member shall be deemed to have designated all next-of-kin of the member for invitation to any memorial service held to honor the life of the member in the event of the death of the member in service to the United States.

(e)

Rule of Construction

Nothing in this section or the policy required by this section shall be construed to authorize a private cause of action or legal claim against the United States Government, a Department or agency thereof, or any private individual.