05/19/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/19/2026 15:44
Washington, D.C. - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke celebrated the official relaunch of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) flower program, allowing the families of fallen troops and all Americans to once again send floral arrangements to the graves of American service members buried overseas.
The program had been discontinued in 2015, creating significant challenges for Americans seeking to honor fallen loved ones at overseas cemeteries managed by the ABMC. Following bipartisan efforts led by Rep. Zinke and partners in both the House and Senate, the program has now officially resumed after more than 11 years.
"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," said Rep. Zinke. "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."
In 2024, Zinke introduced the bipartisan Flowers for Fallen Heroes Act to formally authorize and modernize the flower ordering program. The legislation sought to create a user-friendly website and ordering system allowing Americans to conveniently purchase flowers for gravesites overseas using standard payment methods.
The renewed effort received broad bipartisan support in Congress, including companion legislation in the Senate led by Senators Maggie Hassan and Marsha Blackburn. The recently enacted FY2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill included language directing the agency to restart the initiative.
The relaunched program is now available to the public through the ABMC's official flower ordering website.
To place an order, visit: ABMC Flower Program.
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