[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4418]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 VETERANS' MEMORIAL MARKER ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 29, 2006

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, I am proud to introduce H.R. 5038, the Veterans' Memorial 
Marker Act of 2006. The Subcommittee's Ranking Member, Shelley Berkley, 
joins me as an original cosponsor of this bill.
  H.R. 5038 would extend for 1 year the Department of Veterans Affairs' 
authority to provide a government marker for the marked grave of a 
veteran buried in a private cemetery. Under current law, this authority 
will expire on December 31, 2006. In addition, the bill would extend 
eligibility of this benefit to include deaths occurring on or after 
November 1, 1990. Currently, this benefit is only available for deaths 
occurring on or after September 11, 2001.
  This bill would also authorize the VA to provide a government marker 
or memorial headstone for eligible deceased dependent children whose 
remains are unavailable for burial. Today, the VA is only authorized to 
provide a marker or memorial headstone to commemorate a veteran or 
spouse whose remains are unavailable for burial.
  Mr. Speaker, the Nation owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women 
who served in the armed forces of the United States. This is but one 
way we can commemorate and memorialize their service and sacrifice.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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