I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9055 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating 
to memorial affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 18, 2024 
Mr. PAPPAS (for himself and Mr. MOYLAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs relating to memorial affairs, and 
for other purposes. 
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’ Burial Im-
provement Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN BURIAL 
BENEFITS FOR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN 
WHO PREDECEASE MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY. 
(a) PROVISION OF HEADSTONES AND MARKERS.— 
Section 2306(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘if such 
death occurs before October 1, 2024’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘if such 
death occurs before October 1, 2024’’. 
(b) INTERMENT IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.—Sec-
tion 2402(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘if such death occurs before October 1, 
2024’’. 
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION 
OF TRANSPORTATION FOR DECEASED VET-
ERANS. 
(a) TRANSPORTATION OF DECEASED VETERANS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 2308 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 2308. Transportation of deceased veterans for bur-
ial 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may pay, in addi-
tion to any amount paid under this chapter, the cost of 
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transportation of a deceased veteran for burial in accord-
ance with this section. 
‘‘(b) TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE.—(1) In the 
case of the transportation of a covered deceased veteran 
for burial in a covered veterans’ cemetery, the Secretary 
may pay a transportation allowance of $745 (as increased 
from time to time under paragraph (3). 
‘‘(2) In the case of a covered deceased veteran who 
did not die in a State and for whom the actual cost of 
transporting the veteran from the place of death to the 
covered cemetery exceeds the amount of the transportation 
allowance in effect under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
may also pay an additional amount equal to the difference 
between such transportation allowance and the actual cost 
of transporting the veteran. The amount of any payment 
under this paragraph may not exceed the difference be-
tween such transportation allowance and the actual cost 
of transporting the veteran to the national cemetery near-
est the veteran’s last place of residence in which burial 
space is available. 
‘‘(3) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the near-
est dollar) in the amount of the transportation allowance 
payable under paragraph (1) that is equal to the percent-
age by which— 
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‘‘(A) the Consumer Price Index (all items, 
United States city average) for the 12–month period 
ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of 
the fiscal year for which the increase is made, ex-
ceeds 
‘‘(B) such Consumer Price Index for the 12- 
month period preceding the 12–month period de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(c) DEATHS IN COVERED FACILITIES.—(1) Except 
as provided in paragraph (2), in the case of a veteran who 
dies in a covered facility located in a State, the Secretary 
shall pay the actual cost to transport the body to the place 
of burial, if the place of burial is located in the same or 
any other State. 
‘‘(2) In the case of a veterans who is eligible for pay-
ment under both paragraph (1) and subsection (b), the 
amount payable under paragraph (1) may not exceed the 
difference between the amount of the transportation allow-
ance in effect under subsection (b)(1) and the actual cost 
of transporting the veteran to the place of burial. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘covered deceased veteran’ means 
any of the following deceased veterans: 
‘‘(A) A veteran who dies as the result of a 
service-connected disability. 
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‘‘(B) A veteran who dies while in receipt of 
disability compensation (or who but for the re-
ceipt of retirement pay or pension under this 
title, would have been entitled to compensation). 
‘‘(C) A veteran whom the Secretary deter-
mines is eligible for funeral expenses under this 
chapter by virtue of the Secretary determining 
that the veteran has no next of kin or other 
person claiming the body of such veteran and 
that there are not available sufficient resources 
to cover burial and funeral expenses for the vet-
eran. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘covered facility’ means— 
‘‘(A) a facility of the Department (as de-
fined in section 1701(3) of this title) to which 
the deceased veteran was properly admitted for 
hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care 
under section 1710 or 1711(a) of this title; or 
‘‘(B) an institution at which the deceased 
veteran was, at the time of death, receiving— 
‘‘(i) hospital care in accordance with 
sections 1703A, 8111, and 8153 of this 
title; 
‘‘(ii) nursing home care under section 
1720 of this title; or 
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‘‘(iii) nursing home care for which 
payments are made under section 1741 of 
this title. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘covered veterans’ cemetery’ 
means a veterans’ cemetery— 
‘‘(A) in which a covered veteran is eligible 
to be buried; and 
‘‘(B) that— 
‘‘(i) in the case of deaths occurring 
before January 5, 2023— 
‘‘(I) is owned by a State; or 
‘‘(II) is on trust land owned by, 
or held in trust for, a tribal organiza-
tion; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of deaths occurring 
on or after January 5, 2023— 
‘‘(I) is a national cemetery; 
‘‘(II) is owned by a State; or 
‘‘(III) is on trust land owned by, 
or held in trust for, a tribal organiza-
tion.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 23 of such title is 
amended by striking the item relating to section 
2308 and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘2308. Transportation of deceased veterans for burial.’’. 
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(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such title is fur-
ther amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) of section 
2303(a) and inserting the following new paragraph 
(1): 
‘‘(1) When a veteran described in paragraph (2) dies, 
the Secretary shall pay the actual cost (not to exceed $700 
(as increased from time to time under subsection (c))) of 
the burial and funeral or, within such limits, may make 
contracts for such services without regard to the laws re-
quiring advertisement for proposals for supplies and serv-
ices for the Department.’’; and 
(2) in section 101(20), by striking ‘‘section 
2303’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 2303 and 2308’’. 
SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF TIME LIMITATION ON CERTAIN 
BURIAL BENEFITS FOR MEDAL OF HONOR 
RECIPIENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (d)(5)(C) of section 
2306 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking clause (i); and 
(2) by redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) as 
clauses (i) and (ii), respectively. 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Such section is fur-
ther amended by striking ‘‘section 491 of title 14’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘section 2732 of title 14’’. 
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SEC. 5. PROVISION OF GROUP BURIAL MARKERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2306 of title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (k) as sub-
section (l); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (j) the fol-
lowing new subsection (k): 
‘‘(k)(1) Under such regulations as the Secretary may 
prescribe, in lieu of a headstone or marker for an indi-
vidual described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection 
(a), the Secretary may furnish a group headstone or mark-
er at a burial location containing the remains of multiple 
such individuals. 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary furnishes a group headstone or 
marker under paragraph (1) for a group of individuals de-
scribed in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a) at 
a burial location containing the remains of multiple such 
individuals, the Secretary may not furnish a new or re-
placement burial or memorial headstone or marker for any 
individual whose remains are determined to be interred at 
that burial location. 
‘‘(3) In the case of an individual who is interred at 
a burial location marked by a group headstone or marker 
under paragraph (1), but for whom the Secretary provided 
an individual headstone or marker before the date of the 
enactment of this subsection, such individual headstone or 
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marker may remain in place after the placement of the 
group headstone or marker. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary may provide a group headstone 
or marker under paragraph (1) at a burial location that 
is not unmarked, if the Secretary determines that a group 
headstone or marker at that burial location would assist 
visitors in understanding or appreciating the significance 
of the burial location. 
‘‘(5) Any group headstone or marker provided under 
this subsection shall be provided in coordination with, and 
with the approval of, the owner of the property on which 
the burial location is located. 
‘‘(6) Subject to any required consultation with, and 
approval by, an appropriate historical preservation author-
ity, the Secretary shall make all determinations regarding 
the appearance of a group headstone or marker provided 
under paragraph (1), including the size of, the material 
used for, and the content of the inscription on the marker. 
‘‘(7) A group headstone or marker furnished under 
paragraph (1) may not include in the inscription the name 
of a person described in section 2411(b) of this title.’’. 
(b) NONELIGIBILITY OF PARENTS OF CERTAIN DE-
CEASED VETERANS.—Subsection (a)(2) of such section is 
amended by striking ‘‘and (6)’’ and inserting ‘‘(6), and 
(9)’’. 
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SEC. 6. BURIAL OR INTERMENT OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL 
PERSON IN CEMETERIES THAT ACCEPT DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PLOT OR 
INTERMENT ALLOWANCE. 
Section 2303(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(B) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ and 
inserting ‘‘or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iv) veterans who were discharged or 
released from service under conditions 
other than dishonorable and who would be 
eligible for burial in a national cemetery 
but for the minimum active duty service 
requirements under section 5303A of this 
title and the spouses and dependent chil-
dren of such veterans; and’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’. 
Æ 
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