H.R. 5201: To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a database that contains up-to-date contact information for the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of the military departments.

H.R. 5201: To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a database that contains up-to-date contact information for the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of the military departments.

117th Congress · introduced 2021-09-10 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-09-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a database that contains up-to-date contact information for the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of the military departments.

Plain summary

This bill requires the Department of Defense to establish and maintain a database that contains current contact information for the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces. A commander of the service member's unit in a grade higher than O-5 must be authorized to access the contact information, regardless of whether the member served under the commander. Individuals named in the database are authorized to elect whether or not they want to be contacted by an officer.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a database that contains up-to-date contact information for the next of kin of members of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of the military departments.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] reported raising $1.5 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 (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr5201.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr5201 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117