Congresswoman Watson Coleman, Senator Andy Kim Introduce Legislation to Ease Burden on Families of Deceased Veterans

Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey introduced the Protecting Our Veterans’ Memories Act. This act would help state-run veteran cemeteries to properly honor veterans’ loved ones and ensure they are not saddled with unnecessary out-of-pocket costs while grieving the loss of a family member.

Often, the financial burden on the widows and widowers of our nation’s veterans make it prohibitively expensive for their surviving families to bury them alongside their spouses. This bill would create an allowance for the Department of Veterans Affairs to ease that burden on families. Currently, the reimbursement only goes to veterans’ burials.

 

“Our veterans and their families have sacrificed to defend our country and keep it free,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “It is within our power to ensure that those families can be buried together if they so choose. This bill is just one small way we can help ensure that a grateful nation can help them fulfill their final wishes.”

"We have a sacred responsibility to honor all of our military community's service to our nation throughout their lives and after they’ve passed,” said Senator Kim. “This legislation can deliver veterans’ families the tangible support and honor they deserve while furthering critical assistance to the hallowed cemeteries who carefully look after these families’ memories and give them a peaceful final resting place alongside their loved ones.”

 

The Protecting Our Veterans’ Memories Act would authorize the VA to provide a plot allowance to state, local, and tribal cemeteries that inter the spouse or dependent of an eligible veteran. This commonsense update to federal law ensures parity between federal and state veterans’ cemeteries and affirms our commitment to honoring veterans by caring for their families.

 

Currently, the VA provides a plot or internment allowance only for the burial of veterans in non-federal cemeteries. This leaves many state veterans’ cemeteries – which serve nearly half of all interred veterans nationwide – without federal support when burying a veterans’ spouse or dependent. Families often face out-of-pocket costs simply because of where their loved one is buried.

 

The Protecting Our Veterans’ Memories Act is endorsed by the New Jersey Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars.

 

The text of the Protecting Our Veterans' Memories Act can be found here.