II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3202 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that deceased veterans 

with no known next of kin can receive a dignified burial, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 17, 2012 

Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mr. BURR, Mr. NELSON of Florida, and Mr. 

RUBIO) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that deceased veterans with no known next of kin can receive 

a dignified burial, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dignified Burial of 

5 Veterans Act of 2012’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FURNISHING CASKETS AND URNS FOR DECEASED 

7 VETERANS WITH NO KNOWN NEXT OF KIN. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2306 of title 38, United 

9 States Code, is amended— 


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•S 3202 IS

1 (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as 

2 subsections (g) and (h), respectively; 

3 (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol4 lowing new subsection (f): 

5 ‘‘(f) The Secretary may furnish a casket or urn, of 

6 such quality as the Secretary considers appropriate for a 

7 dignified burial, for burial in a national cemetery of a de8 ceased veteran in any case in which the Secretary— 

9 ‘‘(1) is unable to identify the veteran’s next of 

10 kin, if any; and 

11 ‘‘(2) determines that sufficient resources for the 

12 furnishing of a casket or urn for the burial of the 

13 veteran in a national cemetery are not otherwise 

14 available.’’; and 

15 (3) in subsection (h), as redesignated by para16 graph (1), by adding at the end the following new 

17 paragraph: 

18 ‘‘(4) A casket or urn may not be furnished under sub19 section (f) for burial of a person described in section 

20 2411(b) of this title.’’. 

21 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsections (f) and (h)(4) of 

22 section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

23 subsection (a), shall take effect on the date of the enact24 ment of this Act and shall apply with respect to deaths 

25 occurring on or after such date. 


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•S 3202 IS

1 SEC. 3. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF 

2 VETERANS AFFAIRS WITH INDUSTRY STAND3 ARDS FOR CASKETS AND URNS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

5 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet6 erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 

7 Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af8 fairs of the House of Representatives a report on the com9 pliance of the Department of Veterans Affairs with indus10 try standards for caskets and urns. 

11 (b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 

12 (a) shall include the following: 

13 (1) A description of industry standards for cas14 kets and urns. 

15 (2) An assessment of compliance with such 

16 standards at National Cemeteries administered by 

17 the Department with respect to caskets and urns 

18 used for the interment of those eligible for burial at 

19 such cemeteries. 

Æ 


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