[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROBB:
  S. 2547. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize 
the memorialization at the columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery 
of veterans who have donated their remains to science, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


to memorialize veterans at arlington national cemetery who donate their 
                                 organs

 Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, several months ago, one of my 
constituents, Ms. Llewellyn Hedgbeth of Arlington, Virginia, contacted 
my office to request my intervention in a matter which has brought 
considerable anguish and frustration to her family.
  It so happened that Ms. Hedgbeth's father, Mr. Roger A. Hedgbeth, 
Sr., a decorated veteran of World War II, and a career civil servant, 
had recently passed away. Before his death, however, he made two simple 
requests: one, that his body be donated to science, and two, that his 
ashes be placed at Arlington National Cemetery. His widow, now 71, 
honored the first of those wishes. But in honoring the one, it seemed 
that the second was precluded.
  The Hedgbeths learned that due to various legal concerns, no ashes of 
organ donors who donate their bodies to science are returned to the 
respective families of these donors. This situation presented an 
insurmountable obstacle for the Hedgbeth family who were informed by a 
regretful staff at Arlington National Cemetery, that current 
regulations prohibit memorializing veterans in the Columbarium unless 
their remains were actually inurned there.
  While I can appreciate that limited space at Arlington has 
necessitated adherence to strict guidelines for burial and 
memorialization, I cannot see the virtue in denying appropriate 
recognition for an entitled veteran simply because he has donated his 
remains to science. In fact, I would like to encourage more veterans to 
do just that.
  All of us recognize the great need for viable remains for both 
transplantation and for medical study. Mr. Roger Hedgbeth and other 
veterans who make this courageous commitment should be suitably 
recognized and their loved ones should know that a grateful nation has 
made a place for them at one of our country's most sacred memorials.
  With that said, I submit this bill which seeks to modify current 
regulations to allow otherwise qualified veterans, who have donated 
their remains to science, to be memorialized at the Columbarium in 
Arlington National Cemetery, not withstanding the absence of their 
cremated remains.
  Mr. President, I salute these veterans and their devoted families, 
and ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2547

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

     SECTION 1. MEMORIALIZATION AT COLUMBARIUM AT ARLINGTON 
                   NATIONAL CEMETERY OF VETERANS WHO HAVE DONATED 
                   THEIR REMAINS TO SCIENCE.

       (a) Authority To Memorialize.--(1) Chapter 24 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``Sec. 2412. Arlington National Cemetery: memorialization at 
       columbarium of veterans who have donated their remains to 
       science

       ``The Secretary of the Army may honor, by marker or other 
     appropriate means at the columbarium at Arlington National 
     Cemetery, the memory of any veteran eligible for inurnment in 
     the columbarium whose cremated remains cannot be inurned in 
     the columbarium as a result of the donation of the veteran's 
     organs or remains for medical or scientific purposes.''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of that chapter 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:

``2412. Arlington National Cemetery: memorialization at columbarium of 
              veterans who have donated their remains to science.''.

       (b) Applicability.--Section 2412 of title 38, United States 
     Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to veterans who 
     die on or after January 1, 1996.

                          ____________________