The Veteran Headstone Honor Act (H.R. 9356) proposes a tax credit for private cemeteries to cover the costs of attaching veteran medallions to headstones. This initiative aims to honor veterans by ensuring their service is visibly recognized on their grave markers.
Supporters commend the bill for promoting the recognition of veterans' service in private cemeteries, enhancing public awareness and appreciation of their contributions. The tax credit is seen as a practical incentive for cemeteries to participate in this honoring process.
Critics argue that the bill may place an administrative burden on private cemeteries to apply for and manage the tax credit. Additionally, some express concerns about the potential cost to taxpayers and question whether this is the most effective method to honor veterans.
The Veteran Headstone Honor Act, sponsored by Michael Lawler, does not present direct conflicts of interest based on the sponsor's top donor industries. Lawler's largest donor sector is Health Professionals, contributing $240 million, followed by Retired individuals at $75 million. However, these industries do not have a direct connection to the subject matter of the bill, which focuses on veterans' headstones. The absence of overlapping interests suggests that the bill is unlikely to benefit the sponsor's donors directly. Furthermore, while there is significant lobbying activity in the policy area, the lack of transparency regarding the disclosed amounts and specific interests makes it difficult to ascertain any potential influence on the bill's provisions.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WELLS FARGO & COMPANY | RMP STRATEGIES, LLC | $10,000 |
| MANAGED FUNDS ASSOCIATION | RMP STRATEGIES, LLC | $10,000 |
| DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE INC | DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE, INC. | $10,000 |
| SAMSARA INC. | CORNERSTONE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, INC. | undisclosed |
| OTG | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| BLOCKQUAKE HOLDINGS LLC | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| PAYSAFE MERCHANT SERVICES CORPORATION | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| PROOF OF STAKE ALLIANCE | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| INTEGRAL COMMUNITIES | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| SENTILINK CORP. | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| TEMPLUM LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS OUISA CAPITAL LLC) | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| GLOBAL PRIMEX LLC | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| WARRIOR TRADING | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| SYNIVERSE TECHNOLOGIES LLC | PAUL HASTINGS LLP | undisclosed |
| SOUTHERN INSTITUTE OF POLICY RESEARCH | SOUTHERN INSTITUTE OF POLICY RESEARCH | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Michael Lawler, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)
