POLICY AND PROCEDURES ON MEDIA ACCESS AND ATTENDANCE BY FAMILY MEMBERS AT CEREMONIES FOR THE DIGNIFIED TRANSFER OF REMAINS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO DIE OVERSEAS.

SEC. 542. POLICY AND PROCEDURES ON MEDIA ACCESS AND ATTENDANCE BY FAMILY MEMBERS AT CEREMONIES FOR THE DIGNIFIED TRANSFER OF REMAINS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO DIE OVERSEAS.(a) Department of Defense Policy and Procedures on Media Access at Ceremonies for Dignified Transfer of Remains of Members of the Armed Forces Who Die Overseas.—(1) Policy required.—Not later than April 1, 2010, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe a policy guaranteeing media access at ceremonies for the dignified transfer of remains of members of the Armed Forces who die while located or serving overseas (in this section referred to as “military decedents”) when approved by the primary next of kin of such military decedents.(2) Procedures.—The policy developed under paragraph (1) shall include procedures to be followed by the military departments in conducting appropriate ceremonies for the dignified transfer of remains of military decedents. The procedures shall be uniform across the military departments except to the extent necessary to reflect the traditional practices or customs of a particular military department.(3) Elements.—The policy developed under paragraph (1) shall include, but not be limited to, the following:(A) Provision for access by media representatives to transfers described in paragraph (1) if approved in advance by the primary next of kin of the military decedent or their designee.(B) Procedures for designating with certainty who is authorized to make the decision to approve media access at transfer ceremonies described in that paragraph under reasonable, foreseeable circumstances.(C) Conditions for coverage that media representatives must comply with during such transfer ceremonies, and procedures for ensuring agreement in advance by media representatives with the conditions for coverage prescribed by military authorities.(D) Procedures for the waiver by the primary next of kin or other designees of Departmental polices relating to delays in release of casualty information to the media and general public, when such waiver is required.(b) Transportation to Transfer Ceremonies.—(1) Provision of transportation required.—Section 411f of title 37, United States Code, is amended—(A) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively; and123 STAT. 2300(B) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection (e):“(e) Transportation to Transfer Ceremonies of Members of the Armed Forces Who Die Overseas.—(1) The Secretary of the military department concerned may provide round trip transportation to ceremonies for the transfer of a member of the armed forces who dies while located or serving overseas to the following:“(A) The primary next of kin of the member.“(B) Two family members (other than primary next of kin) of the member.“(C) One or more additional family members of the member, at the discretion of the Secretary.“(2)(A) For purposes of this subsection, the primary next of kin of a member of the armed forces shall be the eligible relatives of the member specified in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (c)(1).“(B) The Secretaries of the military departments shall prescribe in regulations the family members of a member of the armed forces who shall constitute family members for purposes of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1). The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that such regulations are uniform across the military departments.“(3) Transportation shall be provided under this subsection by means of Invitational Travel Authorizations.“(4) The Secretary of a military department may, upon the request of the primary next of kin covered by paragraph (1)(A) and at the discretion of the Secretary, provide for the accompaniment of such next of kin in travel under this subsection by a casualty assistance officer or family liaison officer of the military department who shall act as an escort in such accompaniment.”.(2) Conforming and clerical amendments.—(A) Heading amendment.—The heading of such section is amended to read as follows:“§ 411f. Travel and transportation allowances: transportation for survivors of deceased member to attend member’s burial ceremonies; transportation for survivors of member dying overseas to attend transfer ceremonies” .(B) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 411f and inserting the following new item: “411f. Travel and transportation allowances: transportation for survivors of deceased member to attend member’s burial ceremonies; transportation for survivors of member dying overseas to attend transfer ceremonies.”. (c) Effective Date.—This section and the amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.