Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Legislation Led by Sullivan, Peters, Brown, Cramer to Protect Burial Benefits for Military Families
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) to ensure military families can continue to be laid to rest together in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries.
Under current law, in the tragic case of the spouse or child of an active duty service member predeceasing the service member, the VA has the authority to bury that service member's spouse or child at a VA national cemetery – where the service member will one day join their family member. But without Congress acting, the VA’s authority to provide this benefit for military families will expire on October 1, 2024. The senators’ Keeping Military Families Together Act would grant the VA permanent authority to bury spouses and dependent children of members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty at the time of their death. The bill also would give the VA permanent authority to furnish a memorial headstone or marker, in cases where remains are unavailable, for spouses and dependent children of active duty service members.
“Our military family members—wives, husbands and children—often sacrifice for our country as much as our uniformed military members,” said Senator Sullivan, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. “They deserve a dignified resting place alongside the veteran they have supported throughout their life that commemorates their service to our country. I want to thank my Senate colleagues for supporting this important legislation to ensure our military families have the peace of mind knowing they can rest together at a VA cemetery.”
“Servicemembers and their families give more to our country than we can ever truly repay. We owe it to them, at the very least, to ensure they can remain together in their final resting place if that is what they wish,” said Senator Peters, a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “I’m proud this bipartisan bill passed the Senate with unanimous support, and I’ll continue working to see it signed into law.”
“Our American servicemembers and their families serve and sacrifice every day to protect our freedoms,” said Senator Brown. “Today we took an important step to ensure that military families can be laid together in their final resting place at a VA national cemetery.
“When Americans volunteer their service to our nation, their spouses and dependents make a sacrifice as well,” said Senator Cramer. “I’m glad the Senate passed our legislation to allow spouses and children who pass before their servicemember to be properly buried in a VA cemetery. These families deserve to be together in their final resting place.”
“During unfortunate times when a spouse or child passes away before the service member, it is paramount for provisions to exist that allow for a choice of final rest together at a VA National Cemetery,” said Quandrea Patterson, Associate Director of VFW Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. “The VFW thanks Senators Peters, Sullivan, Brown, and Cramer for this legislation that permanently seeks to keep military families together.”
“We thank Senators Peters, Sullivan, Cramer, and Brown for leading this bipartisan bill and for their commitment to supporting our nation’s military families and servicemembers at every turn,” said Jack McManus, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). “Our brave men and women who served in uniform deserve the option to be buried alongside their families, including in the tragic case of a servicemembers’ family member predeceasing them. The Keeping Military Families Together Act protects that benefit.”
“One of the most widely requested benefits that our nation provides to those who have served are those concerning burial. This honor is a final display of our country’s appreciation for the service and sacrifice of our veterans,” said Michael McLaughlin, Legislative Director, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO). “Although there is no sunset of when a service member or veteran may receive this honor, there is, unfortunately, a shelf life for eligibility provided to loved ones for internment with their veteran in a national cemetery. The NACVSO supports Senator Peters’ bipartisan legislation that seeks to provide a continued and unified burial option for not only those who served our country, but also for their loved ones.”
The bill is also supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
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