[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 71 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S3287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mr. Burr, Mr. Nelson, of Florida, 
        and Mr. Rubio):
  S. 3202. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that 
deceased veterans with no known next of kin can receive a dignified 
burial, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today, as Chairman of the Senate 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am proud to introduce the Dignified 
Burial of Veterans Act of 2012 with Senator Burr, Ranking Member of the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and my Senate colleagues from the state 
of Florida, Senators Nelson and Rubio.
  When America's heroes make a commitment to serve their country, we 
make a promise to care for them. One of the many ways in which we care 
for our veterans is by helping to provide them with a burial that 
honors their service.
  That is why I was concerned when I learned that a veteran at a VA 
National Cemetery had an inappropriate burial. This veteran, with no 
known next-of-kin, was buried in a cardboard container that later 
disintegrated to the point where the veteran's remains were exposed and 
found during a raise and realign project at the cemetery. The veteran's 
remains were later placed in a bag and reburied with what was left of 
the cardboard box. This defies logic.
  There is no reason why the remains of a veteran should ever be 
treated with this lack of dignity.
  Yet, under current law, VA is not authorized to purchase a casket or 
urn for veterans who do not have a next-of-kin to provide one, or the 
resources to be buried in an appropriate manner.
  We must take steps to prevent this from occurring again. That is why 
this bill would authorize VA to furnish a casket or urn to a deceased 
veteran when VA is unable to identify the veteran's next-of-kin and 
determines that sufficient resources are not otherwise available to 
furnish a casket or urn for burial in a national cemetery. This bill 
would further require that VA report back to Congress on the industry 
standard for urns and caskets and whether burials at VA's national 
cemeteries are meeting that standard.
  I think we can all agree that every veteran deserves a dignified 
burial. Today, I am pleased to stand with my bipartisan colleagues to 
introduce a bill that would ensure that they receive one.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3202

       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 ``Dignified Burial of Veterans 
     Act of 2012''.

     SEC. 2. FURNISHING CASKETS AND URNS FOR DECEASED VETERANS 
                   WITH NO KNOWN NEXT OF KIN.

       (a) In General.--Section 2306 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections 
     (g) and (h), respectively;
       (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
     subsection (f):
       ``(f) The Secretary may furnish a casket or urn, of such 
     quality as the Secretary considers appropriate for a 
     dignified burial, for burial in a national cemetery of a 
     deceased veteran in any case in which the Secretary--
       ``(1) is unable to identify the veteran's next of kin, if 
     any; and
       ``(2) determines that sufficient resources for the 
     furnishing of a casket or urn for the burial of the veteran 
     in a national cemetery are not otherwise available.''; and
       (3) in subsection (h), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by 
     adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) A casket or urn may not be furnished under subsection 
     (f) for burial of a person described in section 2411(b) of 
     this title.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--Subsections (f) and (h)(4) of section 
     2306 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
     (a), shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
     Act and shall apply with respect to deaths occurring on or 
     after such date.

     SEC. 3. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR CASKETS AND 
                   URNS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the compliance of the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs with industry standards for caskets and 
     urns.
       (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) A description of industry standards for caskets and 
     urns.
       (2) An assessment of compliance with such standards at 
     National Cemeteries administered by the Department with 
     respect to caskets and urns used for the interment of those 
     eligible for burial at such cemeteries.

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