[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 219 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 219

 Recognizing and commending the leadership and thousands of volunteers 
involved with Bugles Across America for their commitment and sacrifice 
 to ensure veterans are laid to rest with the honor and ceremony they 
 earned through selfless service to the people of the United States in 
                           the Armed Forces.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2009

  Mr. Terry submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing and commending the leadership and thousands of volunteers 
involved with Bugles Across America for their commitment and sacrifice 
 to ensure veterans are laid to rest with the honor and ceremony they 
 earned through selfless service to the people of the United States in 
                           the Armed Forces.

Whereas the National Defense Authorization Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-65) 
        directed the Department of Defense to provide every veteran, upon 
        request, a funeral honors detail consisting of at least two uniformed 
        servicemembers, a flag ceremony, and the playing of Taps;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that veterans of World War 
        II are dying at a rate of more than 1,000 per day, and the Department of 
        Defense has estimated it can provide live bugle players for only 20 
        percent of funeral requests;
Whereas retired United States Marine Tom Day felt that playing a recorded 
        version of Taps on a CD player or other audio system failed to provide 
        veterans with the full dignity and respect of a live bugle player at 
        their funeral or memorial service;
Whereas retired United States Marine Tom Day founded Bugles Across America in 
        November 2000 with the goal of providing Taps played live by a volunteer 
        bugler at the funeral or memorial service of every veteran nationwide;
Whereas Bugles Across America has recruited 6,200 volunteer horn, trumpet, and 
        bugle players from high schools, colleges, drum-and-bugle corps, and 
        honor guards in all 50 States, and the number of volunteers continues to 
        increase as more citizens become aware of Bugles Across America;
Whereas Bugles Across America provides live renditions of Taps for more than 
        2,200 military funerals each month, providing a valuable service to 
        veterans and their families;
Whereas an estimated 80 percent or more of the funerals for casualties in 
        ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan had a volunteer horn 
        player from Bugles Across America;
Whereas Bugles Across America welcomes volunteer bugle, horn, and trumpet 
        players of any age, sex, race, or creed who can ``play the 24 notes of 
        Taps with an ease and style that will do honor to both the veterans, 
        their families, and the burial detail performing the funeral or memorial 
        service'';
Whereas Bugles Across America supports volunteer bugle, horn, and trumpet 
        players by restoring and repairing many secondhand instruments to be 
        played for veterans with dignity and respect; and
Whereas the playing of Taps is a hallmark of a military funeral, befitting the 
        honor and dignity veterans have earned through their selfless sacrifices 
        for the Nation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes and commends the leadership and thousands of 
        volunteers involved with Bugles Across America for their 
        commitment and sacrifice to ensure veterans are laid to rest 
        with the honor and ceremony they earned through selfless 
        service to the people of the United States in the Armed Forces;
            (2) urges every veterans service organization, State and 
        local government, funeral home, and veterans service office to 
        inform veterans and their families of the valuable services 
        offered by Bugles Across America; and
            (3) directs that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs inform 
        the respective veterans service organizations and state and 
        county local governments of the availability of Bugles Across 
        America for the funerals of veterans.
                                 <all>