[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H7246-H7247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1545
              CHARLES DUNCAN BURIED WITH HONOR ACT OF 2016

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (S. 3076) to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish caskets and urns 
for burial in cemeteries of States and tribal organizations of veterans 
without next of kin or sufficient resources to provide for caskets or 
urns, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3076

       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 ``Charles Duncan Buried with 
     Honor Act of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. CASKETS AND URNS FOR BURIAL OF CERTAIN VETERANS IN 
                   CEMETERIES OF STATES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.

       Section 2306(f) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--

[[Page H7247]]

       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``for burial in a national cemetery of a deceased veteran'' 
     and inserting ``for burial of a deceased veteran in a 
     national cemetery or in a veterans cemetery of a State or 
     tribal organization for which the Department has provided a 
     grant under section 2408 of this title''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``the burial of the 
     veteran in a national cemetery'' and inserting ``such 
     burial''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to add extraneous material on S. 3076.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise to urge all Members to support S. 3076, the Charles Duncan 
Buried with Honor Act of 2016.
  S. 3076, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent on September 
20, 2016, would provide indigent families of deceased veterans with 
more choices as they make the difficult decision about where to lay 
their loved ones to rest without being financially penalized. This 
legislation is a practical solution for a common challenge that is 
faced by too many veterans' families. Dr. Wenstrup, my colleague and a 
valued member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, has sponsored H.R. 
6114, the House companion to this bill.
  Under current law, if a family does not have sufficient resources to 
buy a casket or an urn for a deceased loved one, the VA can provide one 
if the veteran is buried in a national cemetery, but not if the veteran 
is buried in a State or a tribal cemetery. However, for some families, 
interring a veteran in a national cemetery is not always the best 
option. For example, a national cemetery may be too far away for 
families to attend burial services or to regularly visit their loved 
ones.
  To better serve the families of all veterans, S. 3076 allows the VA 
to furnish a casket or an urn if the deceased veteran is laid to rest 
in a national or in a State or a tribal cemetery. It is appropriate to 
honor the service of veterans who have passed by providing a casket or 
an urn regardless of where the veteran is interred.
  I urge my colleagues to support S. 3076.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of S. 3076, the Charles Duncan Buried with Honor 
Act, which expands the cemetery burial options offered by the VA to the 
families of financially insolvent veterans and to those with no 
identifiable next of kin.
  I thank my friend, the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee chairman, 
Dr. Wenstrup, for sponsoring this bill in the House.
  We who serve on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee hear over and 
over how important it is to the families of many veterans that they be 
buried near loved ones and near home. This is particularly true in 
rural areas where the option of burial in a national veterans' cemetery 
within a manageable travel distance is frequently not an option.
  Under current law, indigent veterans and those with no next of kin 
are eligible for reimbursement rates of $2,421 for caskets or $244 for 
urns when buried in a national cemetery. However, if a State or a 
tribal cemetery that is supported by grants from the VA is 
geographically closer to the veteran's home and is preferable to the 
veteran or to the family, burial there is not currently allowed.
  The bill before us today provides that choice by broadening the scope 
of the Dignified Burial and other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act to 
include the option of burial in a State or a tribal cemetery for which 
the Department of Veterans Affairs has provided a grant.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill enjoys the support of the American Legion. It 
makes good sense and ensures that we are doing everything in our power 
to provide the greatest honor and comfort for veterans and their 
families. I urge my colleagues to support it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup), an active member of the committee.
  Mr. WENSTRUP. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3076, the 
Charles Duncan Buried with Honor Act.
  This bill will have a direct and personal impact on the families of 
many of our veterans. I am pleased that it is being considered today, 
and I was proud to sponsor the House companion bill, H.R. 6114.
  Under current law, if a veteran dies without the resources to pay for 
a casket, the VA will provide one, but only as long as the veteran is 
buried in a national cemetery. That means that, in my district and 
throughout the country, the families in need of this service may be 
transported to a national cemetery, which is often far from home and 
far from family. This has caused heartache for many families in my 
district in Ohio and across the country. It can mean that their loved 
ones must be buried nowhere near their homes. It can prevent friends 
and family from attending the funerals or from regularly visiting the 
grave sites.
  S. 3076 would amend current law to allow veterans who receive caskets 
that are purchased by the VA to be buried at a State or a tribal 
cemetery for which the VA has provided a grant. By expanding the burial 
options available to veterans, we can better ensure that they are laid 
to rest close to their loved ones. Let's provide this peace of mind to 
our veterans and their families. I strongly urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this 
legislation and join me in passing S. 3076.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).
  Mr. HILL. I thank the distinguished incoming chairman of the 
committee. I appreciate the time. I also thank my colleague in the 
Arkansas delegation, Senator Cotton, for his important work on S. 3076, 
which we are discussing today. I support it enthusiastically.
  Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, July 25, 2015, U.S. Navy veteran and Little 
Rock resident Charles Duncan passed away at the age of 66, leaving 
behind a daughter, three grandsons, three great-grandsons, a brother, 
and a sister, along with many grieving family members, friends, and 
loved ones.
  Sadly, like too many of our veterans, Mr. Duncan was financially 
insolvent and could not afford the cost of his funeral. Thankfully, he 
was eligible for essential VA benefits to cover these costs. However, 
these benefits required that he be buried at the national cemetery in 
Fort Smith instead of close to his home and his family in Little Rock. 
By expanding the cemetery burial options that are offered by the VA to 
our veterans in need, we can provide families with the solace that they 
deserve.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill and support the peaceful 
rest of the veterans we have lost.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all 
Members to support S. 3076.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, S. 3076.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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