I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6073 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 29, 2012 
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. YOUNG 
of Florida, Mr. MACK, Mr. ROSS of Florida, and Ms. CASTOR of Florida) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that de-
ceased veterans with no known next of kin can receive 
a dignified burial, 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 ‘‘Dignified Burial of 
Veterans Act of 2012’’. 
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SEC. 2. FURNISHING CASKETS AND URNS FOR DECEASED 
VETERANS WITH NO KNOWN NEXT OF KIN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2306 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as 
subsections (g) and (h), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing new subsection (f): 
‘‘(f) The Secretary shall furnish a casket or urn, of 
such quality as the Secretary considers appropriate for a 
dignified burial, for burial in a national cemetery of a de-
ceased veteran described in section 2414(b) of this title.’’; 
and 
(3) in subsection (h), as redesignated by para-
graph (1), by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) A casket or urn may not be furnished 
under subsection (f) for burial of a person described 
in section 2411(b) of this title.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsections (f) and (h)(4) of 
section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (a), shall take effect on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act and shall apply with respect to deaths 
occurring on or after such date. 
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SEC. 3. IMPROVED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND MEDICAL 
EXAMINERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 24 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 2414. Communication between Department of Vet-
erans Affairs and medical examiners and 
funeral directors 
‘‘(a) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—With respect to 
each deceased veteran described in subsection (b) who is 
transported to a national cemetery for burial, the Sec-
retary shall ensure that the local medical examiner, fu-
neral director, county service group, or other entity re-
sponsible for the body of the deceased veteran before such 
transportation submits to the Secretary the following in-
formation: 
‘‘(1) Whether the deceased veteran was cre-
mated. 
‘‘(2) The steps taken to ensure that the de-
ceased veteran has no next of kin. 
‘‘(b) DECEASED VETERAN DESCRIBED.—A deceased 
veteran described in this subsection is a deceased veteran 
whom the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(1) that there is no next of kin or other person 
claiming the body of the deceased veteran; and 
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‘‘(2) does not have sufficient resources to cover 
burial and funeral expenses. 
‘‘(c) 
DETERMINATION
OF
SUFFICIENT
RE-
SOURCES.—If the Secretary is unable to make a reason-
able determination of the amount of the resources of a 
deceased veteran under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary 
shall deem such resources to be an amount that is not 
sufficient to cover burial and funeral expenses.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2413 the following new 
item: 
‘‘2414. Communication between Department of Veterans Affairs and medical ex-
aminers and funeral directors.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 2414 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall 
apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after the date 
that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS WITH INDUSTRY STAND-
ARDS FOR CASKETS AND URNS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
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Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a report on the com-
pliance of the Department of Veterans Affairs with indus-
try standards for caskets and urns. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) A description of industry standards for cas-
kets and urns. 
(2) An assessment of compliance with such 
standards at National Cemeteries administered by 
the Department with respect to caskets and urns 
used for the interment of those eligible for burial at 
such cemeteries. 
Æ 
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