I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6042 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand burial benefits for certain 

homeless veterans. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 30, 2010 

Mr. KLEIN of Florida (for himself and Ms. BERKLEY) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand burial 

benefits for certain homeless veterans. 

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 ‘‘Dignity for our Na5 tion’s Heroes Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF BURIAL BENEFITS FOR VETERANS. 

7 (a) HOMELESS VETERANS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 23 of such title is 

9 amended by inserting after section 2302 the fol10 lowing new section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 2302A. Funeral expenses for homeless veterans not 

2 serving during wartime 

3 ‘‘(a) PAYMENT OF FUNERAL EXPENSES.—The Sec4 retary, in the Secretary’s discretion, having due regard to 

5 the circumstances in each case, may pay a sum not exceed6 ing the amount authorized under section 2302(a) of this 

7 title to such person as the Secretary prescribes to cover 

8 the burial and funeral expenses of a deceased veteran de9 scribed in subsection (b) and the expense of preparing the 

10 body and transporting it to the place of burial. 

11 ‘‘(b) HOMELESS VETERAN.—A deceased veteran de12 scribed in this subsection is an individual— 

13 ‘‘(1) whom the Secretary determines— 

14 ‘‘(A) is a homeless veteran (as defined in 

15 section 2002(1) of this title); 

16 ‘‘(B) has no next of kin or other person 

17 claiming the body of the deceased veteran; and 

18 ‘‘(C) does not have available sufficient re19 sources to cover burial and funeral expenses; 

20 ‘‘(2) whose service in the Armed Forces was not 

21 during wartime; and 

22 ‘‘(3) who was either— 

23 ‘‘(A) discharged from the active military, 

24 naval, or air service under honorable conditions; 

25 or 


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1 ‘‘(B) died during a period deemed to be ac2 tive military, naval, or air service under section 

3 106(c) of this title. 

4 ‘‘(c) DEDUCTIONS.—(1) Except as provided in this 

5 subsection, no deduction shall be made from the burial al6 lowance because of the veteran’s net assets at the time 

7 of the death of such veteran, or because of any contribu8 tion from any source toward the burial and funeral ex9 penses (including transportation) unless the amount of ex10 penses incurred is covered by the amount actually paid 

11 therefor by the United States, a State, any agency or polit12 ical subdivision of the United States or of a State, or the 

13 employer of the deceased veteran. 

14 ‘‘(2) No claim shall be allowed— 

15 ‘‘(A) for more than the difference between the 

16 entire amount of the expenses incurred and an 

17 amount paid by the United States, a State, any 

18 agency or political subdivision of the United States 

19 or of a State, or the employer of the deceased vet20 eran, as described in paragraph (1); 

21 ‘‘(B) when the burial allowance would revert to 

22 the funds of a public or private organization or 

23 would discharge such an organization’s obligation 

24 without payment; or 


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1 ‘‘(C) in any case where payment of expenses of 

2 funeral, transportation, and interment for the vet3 eran is made under any other Act.’’. 

4 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec5 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 

6 by inserting after the item relating to section 2302 

7 the following new item: 

‘‘2302A. Funeral expenses for homeless veterans not serving during wartime.’’. 

8 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

9 subsection (a)(1) shall apply to deaths occurring on or 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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