[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 157 (Friday, December 3, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8472-S8473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

  Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, back in July of this year, the 
subcommittee I chair on contracting oversight held a hearing about 
heartbreaking incompetence at Arlington National Cemetery.
  Because of a series of management errors, bungling, neglect, the 
contracts that were supposed to be executed to make sure we were 
keeping track of America's heroes in our most sacred place in this 
country--we discovered that, in fact, the officials at Arlington 
National Cemetery were not sure who was buried where.
  The reaction I have had to that hearing has been so reassuring 
because as I travel around Missouri, person after person comes up to 
me, so many veterans, saying: Thank you for getting on top of this 
disaster at Arlington National Cemetery.
  Since that hearing, when it was very clear there was no direct line 
of authority in terms of managing Arlington National Cemetery--that 
they had no problem issuing multiple contracts for millions of dollars 
and getting absolutely nothing for it, an acknowledgment that they did 
not have a system that was adequately keeping track of the location of 
burial for potentially thousands of America's finest--we have continued 
to stay on top of this and have realized that more and more problems 
continue to arise.
  This morning, it was reported nationally that they now found a grave 
site that has eight different urns buried--eight different urns--
cremated remains buried in one location with a tombstone that said 
``Unknown.'' And, of course, they have been able to identify some of 
those remains--gratefully, they have--and they are contacting those 
families.
  But as a result of the hearing, I filed legislation, along with 
Senator Brown, who is with me on that committee as the ranking member 
of that committee. Together, we filed a bill, with a number of 
cosponsors, setting up some basic oversight of Arlington going 
forward--basic but very important--making sure we have review of 
contract management, making sure we have compliance with an Army 
directive, making sure we have a report on the grave site discrepancies 
that have arisen, so we can be assured that every family in America who 
looks upon Arlington as the last resting place for

[[Page S8473]]

their family member can be assured that when they go to visit their 
loved one, they are indeed visiting their loved one. So we filed this 
bill, S. 3860. After we found out about these additional problems that 
have arisen, I now feel a sense of urgency about this.

  I know my colleagues on the other side have said we are not doing any 
other legislation except making sure we get a tax cut for millionaires. 
I am hoping they will make an exception to the rule because if we do 
not provide adequate oversight right now, when will we? Is there a 
subject more important than our oversight and making sure those we 
should honor the most are, in fact, being treated with the kind of 
dignity and respect they deserve rather than just being thrown in a 
gravesite that says ``Unknown''?
  So I am going to make a motion tomorrow--we will be in session 
tomorrow--for unanimous consent to pass this legislation. I know I am 
being impatient. We are supposed to let these things sit on the 
calendar for months and months, and we are to hope that nobody puts a 
secret hold on it, and we are to get frustrated not knowing who has a 
hold on it or why. We have 38 members of the judiciary who have been 
sitting on the calendar who came out of committee unanimously. But, no, 
we can't take those up. We can't do anything until we do unpaid tax 
cuts for millionaires.
  I am hoping my Republican colleagues will give the millionaires a 
rest tomorrow. I am hoping they will get off the case of helping the 
millionaires and the billionaires so we can unanimously pass this bill. 
That is the best we can do right now to make sure our loved ones--
because they are all of our loved ones. We love the men and women who 
are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, from John F. Kennedy to the 
soldiers none of us has ever met. We love these Americans, and we need 
to do everything we can to make sure there is proper oversight of what 
is going on at Arlington National Cemetery.
  So, tomorrow, I am hoping we get an exception to the edict that we 
got from our friends on the Republican side of the aisle. I am hoping 
they will allow this bill to go through by unanimous consent because, I 
will tell my colleagues, I am not comfortable going home for my 
Christmas holidays with my family until I am sure we have done 
everything we can for the families who lost loved ones who reached a 
final resting place on this Earth at Arlington National Cemetery.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor and suggest the absence 
of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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