S. 2174: Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-07-18 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Became Public Law No: 116-277.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-07-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 116-277. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2019

Plain summary

Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2019 This bill revises the authority for state grants to improve the reporting of unidentified and missing persons. The bill authorizes grants to be used for additional activities. In particular, grants may be used to improve the transportation, processing, and identification of missing persons and unidentified remains, including with respect to migrants. Further, the bill expands eligible entities to include local governments, medical examiners' offices, certain accredited and publicly funded laboratories, and certain nonprofit organizations. In addition, the bill expands the allowable uses of grant funds to include costs related to transportation, hiring, and procuring forensic equipment. The bill requires any DNA reference sample that is received from a suspected biological family member and uploaded into the Combined DNA Index System to be used only for identifying missing persons and unidentified remains. Next, the bill requires the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to purchase, deploy, and maintain no more than 170 rescue beacons along the southern border to mitigate migrant deaths. The bill also requires the CBP, the Department of Justice, and the Government Accountability Office to submit specified reports to Congress.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Thom Tillis (R-NC)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] reported raising $8.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s2174.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s2174 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116