Department of Veterans Affairs system for storage of information with respect to unclaimed remains of veterans

(a)

Process for storage and evaluation of unclaimed remains received by the Secretary

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits, shall establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a centralized system to store information with respect to the unclaimed remains of veterans. Such system shall include— (A)information with respect to unclaimed human remains suspected to be the remains of a veteran transmitted to the Department from— (i)coroners; (ii)State governments; and (iii)funeral homes; and (B)with respect to unclaimed remains of a veteran in the possession of the Secretary— (i)the name of the veteran, if available; (ii)fingerprints of the veteran, if available; (iii)the estimated age of the veteran at death, if determinable; and (iv)such identifiers as the Secretary determines necessary to make reasonable efforts to confirm veteran status of such unclaimed remains and identify suitable next-of-kin, to the extent practicable. (2)

Memoranda of understanding

(A)

Existing memoranda

In developing the system required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, pursuant to applicable memoranda of understanding with respect to data sharing in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act, request such other information from the following Federal agencies as the Secretary determines relevant to efforts to identify unclaimed remains of veterans: (i)The Social Security Administration. (ii)The Federal Bureau of Investigation. (iii)The Department of Defense. (B)

Supplemental memoranda

The Secretary may seek to enter into such memoranda of understanding with the heads of Federal agencies, or seek to modify the memoranda of understanding described in subparagraph (A), as the Secretary determines necessary for identifying whether unclaimed remains in the possession of the Secretary are the remains of a veteran. (C)

Consideration

In making a request for information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation pursuant to a memorandum of understanding described in subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary shall consider information collected and maintained under the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. (b)

Termination date

This section shall expire on the last day of the third fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. (c)

Report

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on an annual basis thereafter for three years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the system required under subsection (a) that includes— (1)a summary of the implementation of such system; (2)a description of outreach activities carried out pursuant to such implementation; and (3)the total number of unclaimed remains of veterans successfully identified using such system during the period covered by the report.