Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 123.djvu/2319

 123STA T . 22 9 9 PUBLIC LA W 111 –84—O CT. 28 , 2 0 09 resou r c es t oe n sure t ha tat l east 20 0 mi ssin gp ersons are accounte df or under the program annuall y.(3)DEFIN I T I O N S . —I n this su b section ( A ) T he term ‘ ‘accounted for ’ ’ has the meaning gi v en such term in section 15 13(3)( B ) of title 10 ,U nited S tates C ode. (B) The term ‘‘ POW/M IA accounting community’’ has the meaning given such term in section 150 9 (b)(2) of such title. SEC.542 . POLI C YAND P R OCED U RES ON M EDIA ACCESS AND A T TEND - ANCE B Y F AMILY MEMBERS AT CEREMONIES FOR T H EDI G - NIFIED TRANSFER OF REMAINS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES W HODIEO V ERSEAS. (a) DE PAR T M ENT OF DEFENSE PO L I CY AN D PROCED U RES ON MEDIA ACCESS AT CEREMONIES FOR DI G NIFIED TRANSFER OF R EMAINS OF MEM B ERSOFT H E ARMED F ORCES WHO DIE O V ER - SEAS.— (1) POLICY RE Q UIRED.— N ot 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 w ho die while located or serving overseas (in this section referred to as ‘‘military decedents’’) when approved by the primary ne x tof k in 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 dig- nified 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 cus- toms of a particular military department. (3) E LEMENTS.—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 authori z ed 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 re q uired. (b) TRANSPORTATION TO TRANSFER CEREMONIES.— (1) PROVISION OF TRANSPORTATION REQUIRED.—Section 4 11f of title 3 7, United States Code, is amended— (A) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as sub- sections (f) and (g), respectively and Deadlin e .10USC 1 482 n ot e.