H.R. 3642: Final Honors Act of 2025
Sponsor
Brian Mast
Republican · FL-21
Bill Progress
Latest Action · May 29, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Why it matters
If enacted, HR 3642 would create a new right starting on the date of enactment for certain service members who die in the line of duty to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, but only when the primary surviving next of kin requests it.
HR 3642, the Final Honors Act of 2025, is a narrow but high-profile ceremonial bill. Introduced on 2025-05-29, it would require that the remains of a member of the Armed Forces be permitted to lie in honor in the rotunda of the United States Capitol if three conditions are met: the person was a member of the Armed Forces, died from an injury incurred in the line of duty, and that injury is not excluded under section 105 of title 38, United States Code. The honor is not automatic on the government’s own initiative; it happens only upon the request of the primary surviving next of kin.
The bill also builds in a formal notification step. The “Secretary concerned” must notify the primary surviving next of kin, and that notice must follow section 562 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, cited as Public Law 109–163 and 10 U.S.C. 1475 note. The phrase “Secretary concerned” is not left vague: the bill says it has the meaning given in section 101(9) of title 10, United States Code. That matters because it ties responsibility to an existing legal definition rather than creating a new one.
Operational control would sit with the Architect of the Capitol, but not independently. The Architect must act under the direction of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate. The Architect is instructed to take steps considered appropriate to carry out the Act, determine the date and time during which the remains shall lie in honor, and establish regulations for deciding who counts as the “primary surviving next of kin.” In practice, that means the bill sets the right and the broad process, while Capitol leadership and the Architect handle the scheduling and rules.
The bill’s reach is prospective only. It applies to members of the Armed Forces who die on or after the date of enactment of the Act, so it would not reopen eligibility for deaths that occurred before enactment. There are no dollar amounts, grants, penalties, fines, or deadlines written into the text provided. The measure is mainly about formal recognition, family choice, and assigning responsibility for how that recognition is carried out inside the Capitol.
What does H.R. 3642 do?
Rotunda honor for line-of-duty deaths
The bill says the remains of a member of the Armed Forces shall be permitted to lie in honor in the United States Capitol rotunda if the member died from an injury incurred in the line of duty and the injury is not excluded under section 105 of title 38, United States Code.
Next-of-kin request is required
This honor is triggered only upon the request of the primary surviving next of kin under section 2(a)(1), meaning the federal government cannot proceed on its own without that family request.
Military department must give formal notice
The “Secretary concerned” must notify the primary surviving next of kin, and that notification must follow section 562 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, identified as Public Law 109–163 and 10 U.S.C. 1475 note.
Existing legal definition controls ‘Secretary concerned’
The bill defines “Secretary concerned” by cross-reference to section 101(9) of title 10, United States Code, tying implementation to an existing federal definition instead of creating a new one.
Architect of the Capitol sets time and rules
Under section 2(b), the Architect of the Capitol must act under the direction of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, determine the date and time the remains lie in honor, and establish regulations for identifying the ‘primary surviving next of kin.’
Applies only after enactment date
Section 2(c) makes the bill prospective: it applies only to members of the Armed Forces who die on or after the date of enactment of the Act, not to deaths that occurred before enactment.
Who benefits from H.R. 3642?
Primary surviving next of kin of eligible fallen service members
They gain the ability to request that their loved one’s remains lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, and they must be notified by the “Secretary concerned” under the process referenced in Public Law 109–163 and 10 U.S.C. 1475 note.
Service members who die from line-of-duty injuries
Eligible members of the Armed Forces would become entitled to this national honor if they die from an injury incurred in the line of duty and the injury is not excluded under section 105 of title 38, United States Code.
Capitol leadership and ceremonial planners
The bill gives the Speaker of the House, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Architect of the Capitol a clear framework for approving, scheduling, and managing these honors rather than relying on ad hoc decisions.
The public and military communities
They benefit from a more predictable and visible way to recognize sacrifice, because the bill creates a formal path for eligible line-of-duty deaths occurring on or after enactment to be honored in the Capitol Rotunda.
Who is affected by H.R. 3642?
Armed Forces families seeking final honors
Families are directly affected because access to the Rotunda honor depends on whether they are recognized as the ‘primary surviving next of kin’ under regulations the Architect of the Capitol must establish.
Department of Defense and military department leadership
The “Secretary concerned,” as defined by section 101(9) of title 10, United States Code, would have a new duty to notify the primary surviving next of kin using the process in section 562 of the FY2006 NDAA.
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect would have to carry out the Act under the direction of the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate, including setting the date and time for lying in honor and writing next-of-kin regulations.
Families of members who died before enactment
They are affected by the bill’s limit because section 2(c) says it applies only to members of the Armed Forces who die on or after the date of enactment, excluding earlier deaths.
H.R. 3642 Common Questions
Can families of troops killed in the line of duty request Capitol Rotunda honors under HR 3642?
Yes. Under the Final Honors Act of 2025, the remains must be permitted to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda if the primary surviving next of kin requests it and the service member meets the eligibility rules (Section 2(a)(1)).
Does HR 3642 apply to service members who died before the bill becomes law?
No. According to H.R. 3642 Section 2(c), it applies only to members of the Armed Forces who die on or after the date of enactment.
What injuries would disqualify a fallen service member from lying in honor at the Capitol?
A member is ineligible if the injury falls under an exclusion in section 105 of title 38, United States Code, under the Final Honors Act of 2025 (Section 2(a)(1)).
Does the government need family permission before a fallen troop can lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda?
Yes. Under the Final Honors Act of 2025, the honor occurs only upon the request of the primary surviving next of kin (Section 2(a)(1)).
Who has to notify the family about Capitol Rotunda honors for fallen service members?
The "Secretary concerned" must notify the primary surviving next of kin under the Final Honors Act of 2025 (Section 2(a)(2)).
Which law governs how military families must be notified under HR 3642?
Notification must follow section 562 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, Public Law 109–163, 10 U.S.C. 1475 note, according to H.R. 3642 Section 2(a)(2).
Who decides the date and time for a fallen service member to lie in honor in the Capitol?
Under the Final Honors Act of 2025, the Architect of the Capitol determines the date and time, acting under the direction of the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate (Section 2(b)).
What are the eligibility rules for a service member to lie in honor in the Capitol under the Final Honors Act?
Under the Final Honors Act of 2025, the person must be a member of the Armed Forces, die from an injury incurred in the line of duty, and not be excluded by 38 U.S.C. 105; the primary surviving next of kin must also request it (Section 2(a)(1)).
Can the Architect of the Capitol make rules for who counts as primary surviving next of kin?
Yes. Under the Final Honors Act of 2025, the Architect of the Capitol must establish regulations to determine the identity of the primary surviving next of kin (Section 2(b)).
Does HR 3642 define who the 'Secretary concerned' is?
Yes. H.R. 3642 says "Secretary concerned" has the meaning given in section 101(9) of title 10, United States Code (Section 2(a)(2)).
Based on H.R. 3642 bill text
HR3642 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
May 29, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
About the Sponsor
Brian Mast
Republican, Florida's 21st congressional district · 9 years in Congress
Committees: Foreign Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure
View full profile →
Committee Sponsors
Committee on House Administration
0 of 12 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
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H.R. 3642 Quick Facts
- Committee
- House Administration
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Congress
- Introduced
- May 29, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
May 29, 2025
Official Sources
Official Congress.gov page for the Final Honors Act of 2025 with bill text, actions, and status updates.
The bill assigns the Architect of the Capitol responsibility for carrying out the Act, setting the date and time for lying in honor, and establishing next-of-kin regulations.
Provides the statutory definitions in title 10, including the bill's cross-reference for the term 'Secretary concerned.'
Official U.S. Code section referenced by the bill for exclusions affecting whether an injury counts for eligibility.
Official statutory section related to death gratuity provisions and relevant to the bill's notification cross-reference at 10 U.S.C. 1475 note.
Official GovInfo publication for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which the bill cites for next-of-kin notification procedures.
The bill's notification duty falls on the 'Secretary concerned,' tying implementation to Defense Department leadership and military departments.
H.R. 3642 Bill Text
“To permit the remains of certain members of the armed forces who died in line of duty to lie in honor in the rotunda of the United States Capitol, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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