Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3211, the Arlington National Cemetery Burial Eligibility Act, is an important bill that is strongly supported by veterans and their service organizations. The lion's share of credit for setting the stage for this bill goes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Terry Everett), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. His investigation of the waiver process in Arlington National Cemetery has resulted in bipartisan support for H.R. 3211. The bill codifies many of the current regulations of eligibility for burial in the cemetery and placement in the Columbarium. However, the bill departs from current practice in the following ways: One, no waivers to the military service requirements for a burial would be allowed for anyone. Family members of eligible veterans would be the only nonveterans allowed to be buried, and they would be in the same gravesite as the eligible veteran. Second, the bill would eliminate automatic eligibility for Members of Congress and other Federal officials who do not meet all of the military criteria required for other veterans.”