[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 68 (Thursday, May 17, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5124-S5125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself and Mrs. Hutchison):
  S. 912. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase 
burial benefits for veterans; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Veterans Burial 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2001. I am pleased that my colleague, 
Senator Hutchison, joins me in introducing this legislation today.
  During the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, we will honor our U.S. 
soldiers who died in the name of their country. These service men and 
women are America's true heros and on this day we pay tribute to their 
courage and sacrifice. Some have given their lives for our country. All 
have given their time and dedication to ensure our country remains the 
land of the free and the home of the brave. We owe a special debt of 
gratitude to each and every one of them.
  This holiday serves as an important reminder that our nation has a 
sacred commitment to honor the promises made to soldiers when they 
signed up to serve our country. As the Ranking Member of the Senate 
Appropriations Subcommittee that funds veterans programs, I fight hard 
to make sure promises made to our service men and women are promises 
kept. These promises include access to quality, affordable health care 
and a proper burial for our veterans.
  I am deeply concerned that the Federal Government has not increased 
veterans' burial benefits for the families of our wounded or disabled 
veterans in over a decade. We are losing over 1,100 World War II 
veterans each day, but Congress has failed to increase veterans' burial 
benefits to keep up with rising costs and inflation. While these 
benefits were never intended to cover the full costs of burial, they 
now pay for only a fraction of what they covered in 1973, when the 
Federal Government first started paying burial benefits for our 
veterans.
  That's why I am introducing the Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement 
Act. This bill will increase burial benefits to cover the same 
percentage of funeral costs as they did in 1973. It will also provide 
for these benefits to be increased annually to keep up with inflation.
  In 1973, the service-connected benefit payed for 72 percent of 
veterans' funeral costs. But this benefit has not been increased since 
1988, and it now covers just 29 percent of funeral costs. My bill will 
increase the service-connected benefit from $1,500 to $3,713, bringing 
it back up to the original 72 percent level.
  In 1973, the non-service connected benefit payed for 22 percent of 
funeral costs. It has not been increased since 1978, and today it 
covers just 6 percent of funeral costs. My bill will increase the non-
service connected benefit from $300 to $1,135, bringing it back up to 
the original 22 percent level.
  In 1973, the plot allowance payed for 13 percent of veterans' funeral 
costs. This benefit has never been increased, and it now covers just 3 
percent of funeral costs. My bill will increase the plot allowance from 
$150 to $670, bringing it back up to the original 13 percent level.
  Finally, the Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement Act will also 
ensure that these burial benefits are adjusted for inflation annually, 
so veterans won't have to fight this fight again.
  This legislation is just one way to honor our nation's service men 
and women. I want to thank the millions of veterans, Marylanders, and 
people across the Nation for their patriotism, devotion, and commitment 
to honoring the true meaning of Memorial Day. U.S. soldiers from every 
generation have shared in the duty of defending America and protecting 
our freedom. For these sacrifices, America is eternally grateful.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and a letter from 
several veterans advocacy groups supporting it, be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 912

       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 ``Veterans Burial Benefits 
     Improvement Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. INCREASE IN BURIAL BENEFITS FOR VETERANS.

       (a) Burial and Funeral Expenses.--(1) Section 2302(a) of 
     title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``$300'' 
     and inserting ``$1,135 (as increased from time to time under 
     section 2309 of this title)''.
       (2) Section 2303(a)(1)(A) of that title is amended by 
     striking ``$300'' and inserting ``$1,135 (as increased from 
     time to time under section 2309 of this title)''.
       (3) Section 2307 of that title is amended by striking 
     ``$1,500,'' and inserting ``$3,713 (as increased from time to 
     time under section 2309 of this title),''.
       (b) Plot Allowance.--Section 2303(b) of that title is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``$150'' the first place it and inserting 
     ``$670 (as increased from time to time under section 2309 of 
     this title)''; and
       (2) by striking ``$150'' the second place it appears and 
     inserting ``$670 (as so increased)''.
       (c) Annual Adjustment.--(1) Chapter 23 of that title is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``Sec. 2309. Annual adjustment of amounts of burial benefits

       ``With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
     provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) 
     in the burial and funeral expenses under sections 2302(a), 
     2303(a), and 2307 of this title, and in the plot allowance 
     under section 2303(b) of this title, equal to the percentage 
     by which--
       ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
     city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 
     preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the 
     increase is made, exceeds
       ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period 
     preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of that chapter 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``2309. Annual adjustment of amounts of burial benefits.''.

       (d) Effective Date.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph 
     (2), the amendments made by this section shall apply to 
     deaths occurring on or after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       (2) No adjustments shall be made under section 2309 of 
     title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (c), for 
     fiscal year 2002.
                                  ____

                                           The Independent Budget,


                            A Budget for Veterans by Veterans,

                                     Washington, DC, May 14, 2001.
     Hon. Barbara Mikulski,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Mikulski: We are pleased to support your 
     proposed legislation, the Veterans Burial Benefits 
     Improvement Act, to increase burial benefits for veterans. A 
     meaningful increase in benefits provided by our Government to 
     cover veterans' burial and funeral expenses is long overdue.
       This proposed legislation would increase burial allowances 
     to reflect the increasing costs of burial for veterans. 
     Benefits would be increased to cover the same percentage of 
     veterans' burial costs as in 1973. It would also provide for 
     these benefits to be adjusted to cover the costs of 
     inflation.
       The Independent Budget (IB) produced by AMVETS, Disabled 
     American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars fully supports an adjustment of 
     burial allowances to reflect the increases in burial costs. 
     The allowance for service-connected deaths was last adjusted 
     in 1988, and the allowance for other deaths was last adjusted 
     in 1978. Over these several years without adjustment, the 
     value of the burial allowance has eroded. Clearly, it is time 
     these allowances are raised to make them a more meaningful 
     contribution to the costs of burial for our veterans.
       We greatly appreciate your efforts to increase veterans 
     burial allowances to a level that reflects the intended 
     benefit. This proposed legislation would help ensure that our

[[Page S5125]]

     Nation's military veterans will be buried with the dignity 
     they deserve.
     David E. Woodbury,
       Executive Director, AMVETS.
     Keith W. Wingfield,
       Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America.
     Robert E. Wallace,
       Executive Director, Veterans of Foreign War.
     David W. Gorman,
       Executive Director, Disabled American Veterans.
                                 ______