Legislation4 days ago
50
To authorize implementation grants to community-based nonprofits to operate one-stop reentry centers.
HR8548Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA)
introduced
HR6723119th Congress
Bring Our Heroes Home Act
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
Introduced
Summary
Create a centralized archive and presumption of declassification for missing Armed Forces and civilian personnel records. This bill would build a National Archives Collection and an independent Review Board that can compel agencies to find, preserve, review, and disclose those records quickly.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Rules for delaying or keeping records
This bill would set strict tests when records can be postponed from public release. Records made less than 25 years before review could be delayed only for listed national security or foreign relations reasons if the harm outweighs public interest. Older records could be delayed only with clear and convincing evidence of specific harms. The President would have sole, nondelegable authority to require continued postponement and must send an unclassified certification within 30 days of a Board finding. The bill would also let DPAA and certain casualty offices withhold documents for active, individual cases where they are assisting families.
Agencies must search and transmit records
This bill would require every Government office to identify and preserve missing Armed Forces and civilian personnel records it holds. Offices would have to prepare copies in Archivist-approved formats and certify under penalty of perjury that they conducted thorough searches and transmitted records. Agencies would be barred from destroying, altering, or reclassifying information that was already public. If an office proposes heavy redaction or full withholding, its head would have to send an unclassified public justification explaining why release would cause very serious harm.
Board subpoena and reporting powers
This bill would give the Review Board authority to hold hearings, take testimony, receive evidence, administer oaths, and issue subpoenas to private people and agencies. Federal courts could enforce those subpoenas on the Board's request. The Board would have to publish unclassified reports and post determinations online within 30 days, and it would update postponed-disclosure information every 30 days starting 60 days after the first approved delay.
Central archive for missing records
This bill would require the Archivist to create a Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Collection within 90 days after a Board quorum exists. The Archivist would publish a subject guide and index and set required formats, metadata, and privacy safeguards for agencies sending copies. The rules would guide how agencies prepare and send missing-person records to the archive.
New Review Board and staff
This bill would create a five-member Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Review Board. The President would appoint members with Senate approval and one member chosen with the Archivist would serve as Chair. The Board would hire an Executive Director within 45 days of its first meeting and set staff pay, with pay limits tied to the Executive Schedule. The Board would end four years after members are sworn in.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
NH • D
Cosponsors
Fulcher
ID • R
Sponsored 12/15/2025
Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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