[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 159 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MILITARY HONORS FOR OUR NATION'S HEROES

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                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 29, 2009

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, please join me in supporting a bill which 
I have introduced, ``Providing Military Honors For Our Nation's Heroes 
Act,'' H.R. 3886, to reimburse expenses of volunteers who provide 
military funeral honors at veterans' funerals.
  Because thousands of service members are deployed in Iraq and 
Afghanistan while thousands of World War II and Korean War veterans die 
each day, there is simply not enough military available to provide a 
proper honors detail for these funerals. Some families of veterans have 
had to ``make do'' with a CD playing taps. I am saddened by this 
outrageous situation and determined to provide proper military funeral 
honors for all families who request them.
  This bill will allow reimbursement to volunteers from members of 
veterans' service organizations, VSOs, and other organizations approved 
by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, VA. 
Transportation costs and other expenses, such as cleaning uniforms, 
incurred in providing funeral honors details will be reimbursed. A 
second change will allow reimbursement to details that are requested by 
funeral homes and the VA, as well as the Department of Defense.
  Currently, members of VSOs and other volunteers can assist the 
military by providing a color guard, pallbearers, a bugler or firing 
party, but the law does not address ceremonies in which VSOs render 
honors without military representation. My bill will allow volunteers 
to be reimbursed even when no military person is a part of the honor 
guard. This change will increase the number of honors details available 
to families.

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