Nowadays, there are very few issues that both Republican and Democratic lawmakers can agree on, but Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) and Max Miller (R) have come together to push through bipartisan legislation that would address the hundreds of Jewish American soldiers buried overseas.
The bill, The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act, sponsored by Reps. Wasserman Schultz and Miller would change the markings of the graves of Jewish American servicemen from crosses to Stars of David.
Yes, decades after being laid to rest, Jewish American servicemen will have their faith properly acknowledged.
It is said that some 900 of these graves still exist, but for families to be able to change the graves, families must first present evidence of their deceased relatives' religious heritage.
The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) , which is tasked with the oversight of overseas graves, "will establish a 10-year program contracting with nonprofit organizations to identify Jewish servicemembers buried under incorrect markers."
This legislative measure, which has passed in the House of Representatives and is now being sent over to the U.S. Senate, would allocate $500,000 annually in funding.
“This bill is an important step to allow for research necessary to correct these errors,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "This will make it possible for these brave Jewish servicemembers’ descendants to know that their loved one’s military service, life and religious heritage are properly honored.”
Support for this legislation extends beyond the walls of Congress, as several prominent figures in Republican politics are also praising the legislation and the lawmakers who sponsored it.
"It is important to recognize that those who fell fighting for our country be given their respective religious burial markers," said Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun in a statement to The Floridian. " They made the ultimate sacrifice, and it is important that our country, no matter how long it takes gives them and their families the religious markers and the respect that they deserve."
President Donald Trump has recently nominated Rabbi Kaploun to be his Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
Consultant Bryan Leib, who ran in 2024 for the U.S. Congress in Florida's 25th District, praised Wasserman Schultz's efforts, but not before taking a not-so-subtle political jab at the veteran congresswoman.
"It's a breath of fresh air to see Debbie Wasserman-Schultz take a break from calling Republicans fascists and racists all day long to do something that actually benefits her Jewish constituents in Florida's 25th Congressional District. These actions are long overdue and will help honor the Jewish Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom and liberties," said Henry Public Relations CEO Bryan E. Leib in a statement to The Floridian.
Wasserman Schultz, along with Rep. Jared Moskowitz, has been at the forefront in combating antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in American politics.
Because House legislation has historically moved as slowly as molasses when it is sent over to the Senate, it will be interesting to see if the Republican-controlled upper chamber will fast-track the measure. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is Jewish American and has in the past supported legislation that benefited the Jewish community.
