WASHINGTON — Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke marked the official relaunch of the American Battle Monuments Commission flower program this week, restoring the ability of families and all Americans to send floral arrangements to the graves of U.S. service members buried in overseas cemeteries.
The program had been discontinued in 2015, leaving families without a straightforward way to honor fallen loved ones at ABMC-managed cemeteries abroad. After more than 11 years, the program has resumed following bipartisan congressional efforts led by Zinke and partners in both chambers.
“This started when a few concerned families of veterans walked into my office asking why Americans could no longer easily honor their fallen heroes overseas,” Zinke said. “Our servicemen and women made the ultimate sacrifice defending freedom far from home, and they deserve to be remembered and honored by the country they served. I’m proud we were able to work across the aisle to help bring this important program back.”
Zinke introduced the Flowers for Fallen Heroes Act in 2024, bipartisan legislation designed to formally authorize and modernize the ordering program by creating a user-friendly website allowing Americans to purchase grave flowers using standard payment methods. Companion legislation in the Senate was led by Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
The program’s revival was ultimately secured through the fiscal year 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, which included language directing the ABMC to restart the initiative.
By: Big Sky Broadcasting Newswire