I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 805
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase burial benefits for 
veterans, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2005
Ms. BERKLEY (for herself, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. BOUCHER, Ms. 
CORRINE
BROWN
of 
Florida, 
Ms. 
CARSON, 
Mr. 
CASE, 
Mrs. 
CHRISTENSEN, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mrs. 
DAVIS of California, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GORDON, Mr. 
GUTIERREZ, Mr. HINOJOSA, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. KIND, Ms. 
LEE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mrs. 
MCCARTHY, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MEEKS of New 
York, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. 
NORTON, Mr. OWENS, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. 
SANDERS, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. 
THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 
Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WYNN, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. REYES, Mr. HASTINGS of 
Florida, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. MARKEY, and Mr. 
LIPINSKI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase burial 
benefits for veterans, 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 Bene-
fits Improvement Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN BURIAL BENEFITS FOR VETERANS. 
(a) BURIAL AND FUNERAL EXPENSES.—(1) Section 
2302(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ‘‘$300’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,270 (as increased from 
time to time under section 5312(a) of this title)’’. 
(2) Section 2303(a)(1)(A) of such title is amended 
by striking ‘‘$300’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,270 (as increased 
from time to time under section 5312(a) of this title)’’. 
(3) Section 2307 of such title is amended by striking 
‘‘$2,000,’’ and inserting ‘‘$4,100 (as increased from time 
to time under section 5312(a) of this title),’’. 
(b) PLOT ALLOWANCE.—Section 2303(b) of such 
title is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘$300’’ the first place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘$745 (as increased from time to time 
under section 5312(a) of this title)’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘$300’’ the second place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘$745 (as so increased)’’. 
(c) ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT.—Section 5312(a) of such 
title is amended by striking ‘‘and each rate of monthly 
allowance paid under section 1805 of this title,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘each rate of monthly allowance paid under section 
1805 of this title, each rate of burial and funeral expenses
provided for under sections 2302(a), 2303(a)(1)(A), and 
2307 of this title, and each rate of plot allowance provided 
for under section 2303(b) of this title,’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—(1) Except as provided in 
paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section shall 
apply to deaths occurring on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(2) No adjustments shall be made under section 
5312(a) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
subsection (c), for fiscal year 2006 for rates of burial and 
funeral expenses provided for under sections 2302(a), 
2303(a)(1)(A), and 2307 of title 38, United States Code, 
and each rate of plot allowance provided for under section 
2303(b) of such title.
Æ