119 HR 4398 IH: Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-07-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 4398IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 15, 2025Mr. Emmer (for himself, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Latta, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Self, Ms. Tenney, Mr. LaLota, Mr. Womack, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Alford, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Patronis, Mr. Mackenzie, Ms. McBride, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Owens, Mr. Costa, Mr. Calvert, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Fry, Mr. Gooden, Mr. Wied, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Moylan, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Rose, Mr. Strong, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Steil, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Feenstra, Mrs. Fischbach, Mr. Tiffany, Ms. Van Duyne, Mr. Flood, Mr. Moore of West Virginia, and Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)States and counties have reported significant delays in the signing of death certificates for veterans who pass away from natural causes. (2)Such delays, caused by the refusal of, or postponement by, physicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs have, in some cases, lasted as long as eight weeks. (3)Such delays prevent the timely burial of deceased veterans and access to survivor benefits.

3.

Timely certification of the death of a veteran

(a)

In general

(1)

VA physician or nurse practitioner

Subject to paragraph (2), a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs who is the primary care provider of a veteran who dies of natural causes shall certify the death of such veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death. (2)

Coroner or medical examiner

If a physician or nurse practitioner described in paragraph (1) cannot comply with such subsection with regards to a death described in such paragraph, a coroner or medical examiner in the jurisdiction where such death occurred may certify such death. (b)

Report

One year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding compliance with subsection (a). Such a report shall include, with regards to the year preceding the date of the report, the following elements: (1)The percentage of cases in which a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary complied with paragraph (1) of such subsection. (2)The number of cases in which such a physician or nurse practitioner could not so comply. (3)The most common reasons why such a physician or nurse practitioner could not so comply.