Political Quotes

“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.…”