[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6073 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6073

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that deceased veterans 
with no known next of kin can receive a dignified burial, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 29, 2012

  Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Nugent, Mr. 
  Young of Florida, Mr. Mack, Mr. Ross of Florida, and Ms. Castor of 
   Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that deceased veterans 
with no known next of kin can receive a dignified burial, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dignified Burial of Veterans Act of 
2012''.

SEC. 2. FURNISHING CASKETS AND URNS FOR DECEASED VETERANS WITH NO KNOWN 
              NEXT OF KIN.

    (a) In General.--Section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections 
        (g) and (h), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
        subsection (f):
    ``(f) The Secretary shall furnish a casket or urn, of such quality 
as the Secretary considers appropriate for a dignified burial, for 
burial in a national cemetery of a deceased veteran described in 
section 2414(b) of this title.''; and
            (3) in subsection (h), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by 
        adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) A casket or urn may not be furnished under subsection 
        (f) for burial of a person described in section 2411(b) of this 
        title.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Subsections (f) and (h)(4) of section 2306 of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with 
respect to deaths occurring on or after such date.

SEC. 3. IMPROVED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 24 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 2414. Communication between Department of Veterans Affairs and 
              medical examiners and funeral directors
    ``(a) Required Information.--With respect to each deceased veteran 
described in subsection (b) who is transported to a national cemetery 
for burial, the Secretary shall ensure that the local medical examiner, 
funeral director, county service group, or other entity responsible for 
the body of the deceased veteran before such transportation submits to 
the Secretary the following information:
            ``(1) Whether the deceased veteran was cremated.
            ``(2) The steps taken to ensure that the deceased veteran 
        has no next of kin.
    ``(b) Deceased Veteran Described.--A deceased veteran described in 
this subsection is a deceased veteran whom the Secretary determines--
            ``(1) that there is no next of kin or other person claiming 
        the body of the deceased veteran; and
            ``(2) does not have sufficient resources to cover burial 
        and funeral expenses.
    ``(c) Determination of Sufficient Resources.--If the Secretary is 
unable to make a reasonable determination of the amount of the 
resources of a deceased veteran under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary 
shall deem such resources to be an amount that is not sufficient to 
cover burial and funeral expenses.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
2413 the following new item:

``2414. Communication between Department of Veterans Affairs and 
                            medical examiners and funeral directors.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--Section 2414 of title 38, United States Code, 
as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date of the 
enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to deaths occurring 
on or after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WITH 
              INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR CASKETS AND URNS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the 
compliance of the Department of Veterans Affairs with industry 
standards for caskets and urns.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) A description of industry standards for caskets and 
        urns.
            (2) An assessment of compliance with such standards at 
        National Cemeteries administered by the Department with respect 
        to caskets and urns used for the interment of those eligible 
        for burial at such cemeteries.
                                 <all>