I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3278 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs is informed of the interment of unclaimed deceased 
veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2015 
Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. COOK, Ms. HAHN, Mr. RANGEL, and Mr. 
PETERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs is informed of the inter-
ment of unclaimed deceased veterans, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Dignified 
Burial Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INFORMATION CONCERNING INTERMENTS OF UN-
CLAIMED DECEASED VETERANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 24 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 2415. Information concerning interments of un-
claimed deceased veterans 
‘‘(a) SCHEDULED INTERMENT.—At the same time 
that the Secretary confirms to a covered entity the eligi-
bility of an unclaimed deceased veteran to burial benefits, 
the Secretary shall request from the covered entity the 
scheduled date of the interment of the unclaimed deceased 
veteran. If the covered entity does not provide to the Sec-
retary such a scheduled date, the Secretary shall repeat 
such request during each period not exceeding 30 days, 
as determined appropriate by the Secretary, beginning on 
the date on which the Secretary makes such initial request 
and ending on the date on which the Secretary confirms 
either such scheduled date or the date on which the vet-
eran was interred. 
‘‘(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than March 1 of 
each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees 
on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate a report on unclaimed deceased veterans who 
were interred after the 30-day period following the date 
on which the Secretary made an initial request regarding 
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such veteran under subsection (a). Such report shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(1) during the year prior to the year in which 
the report is submitted, the number of unclaimed de-
ceased veterans in each State covered by a request 
made under subsection (a); and 
‘‘(2) of the number of veterans described in 
paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) the number of veterans who were not 
interred during such 30-day period; and 
‘‘(B) the number of veterans for whom a 
scheduled interment date was provided by the 
covered entity to the Secretary but the inter-
ment did not occur as so scheduled. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘burial benefits’ means benefits 
provided by the Secretary under chapter 23 of this 
title with respect to funeral expenses, the furnishing 
of a casket or urn, or transportation. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘covered entity’ means a local 
coroner, medical examiner, public administrator, fu-
neral director, county veterans service officer, vet-
erans service organization, or other entity who take 
responsibility for burial arrangements of an un-
claimed deceased veteran. 
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‘‘(3) The term ‘unclaimed deceased veteran’ 
means a deceased veteran with respect to whom the 
Secretary determines that there is no next of kin or 
other person claiming the body of the deceased vet-
eran.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2414 the following new 
item: 
‘‘2415. Information concerning interments of unclaimed deceased veterans.’’. 
Æ 
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