Sgt. Walter F. Hartnett IV Green Star Veterans Service Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Sgt. Walter F. Hartnett IV Green Star Veterans Service Act adds a new section 905 to title 36. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must design and designate a Green Star Service Flag identifying next of kin of covered veterans. Covered veteran means a veteran who died on or after September 11, 2001, as the result of suicide. Next of kin includes a family member under 38 U.S.C. 1720K and any individual VA specifies by regulation. The next of kin may display the flag. Any person may apply to VA for a license to manufacture and sell the flag, and a person who manufactures it without a license or otherwise violates the section is liable to the United States for a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
Who Benefits and How
Next of kin of veterans who died by suicide benefit because the flag creates a formal symbol of recognition. Families of post-September 11 veterans lost to suicide benefit from a federally designated way to display remembrance. Licensed manufacturers benefit because VA may authorize them to manufacture and sell the Green Star Service Flag.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must design and designate the flag and prescribe regulations for next-of-kin coverage. VA licensing staff must process applications to manufacture and sell the flag. Unlicensed manufacturers face civil penalties of up to $1,000 for making the flag without authorization.
Key Provisions
- Requires VA to design and designate the Green Star Service Flag.
- Allows next of kin of veterans who died by suicide on or after September 11, 2001, to display the flag.
- Authorizes licensing for manufacture and sale of the flag.
- Creates a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for unlicensed manufacturing or other violations.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Creates a Green Star Service Flag to identify next of kin of veterans who died by suicide on or after September 11, 2001, authorizes next of kin to display it, lets VA license manufacture and sale, and sets a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for unlicensed manufacturing or other violations.
Key Policy Areas
Veterans, Commemorations, VA
Primary Purpose
Creates a Green Star Service Flag to identify next of kin of veterans who died by suicide on or after September 11, 2001, authorizes next of kin to display it, lets VA license manufacture and sale, and sets a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for unlicensed manufacturing or other violations.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Next of kin of veterans who died by suicide
- Families of post-September 11 veterans lost to suicide
- Licensed Green Star Service Flag manufacturers
Identified Costs
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- VA licensing staff
- Unlicensed flag manufacturers
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Bresnahan (for himself and Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania) introduced …
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Licensed Green Star Service Flag manufacturers, Unlicensed flag manufacturers
Positive-direction: Licensed Green Star Service Flag manufacturers
Negative-direction: Unlicensed flag manufacturers
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA licensing staff
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology