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. 
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 ‘‘Dignity for our Na-
tion’s Heroes Act’’. 
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF BURIAL BENEFITS FOR VETERANS. 
(a) HOMELESS VETERANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 23 of such title is 
amended by inserting after section 2302 the fol-
lowing new section: 
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‘‘§ 2302A. Funeral expenses for homeless veterans not 
serving during wartime 
‘‘(a) PAYMENT OF FUNERAL EXPENSES.—The Sec-
retary, in the Secretary’s discretion, having due regard to 
the circumstances in each case, may pay a sum not exceed-
ing the amount authorized under section 2302(a) of this 
title to such person as the Secretary prescribes to cover 
the burial and funeral expenses of a deceased veteran de-
scribed in subsection (b) and the expense of preparing the 
body and transporting it to the place of burial. 
‘‘(b) HOMELESS VETERAN.—A deceased veteran de-
scribed in this subsection is an individual— 
‘‘(1) whom the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(A) is a homeless veteran (as defined in 
section 2002(1) of this title); 
‘‘(B) has no next of kin or other person 
claiming the body of the deceased veteran; and 
‘‘(C) does not have available sufficient re-
sources to cover burial and funeral expenses; 
‘‘(2) whose service in the Armed Forces was not 
during wartime; and 
‘‘(3) who was either— 
‘‘(A) discharged from the active military, 
naval, or air service under honorable conditions; 
or 
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‘‘(B) died during a period deemed to be ac-
tive military, naval, or air service under section 
106(c) of this title. 
‘‘(c) DEDUCTIONS.—(1) Except as provided in this 
subsection, no deduction shall be made from the burial al-
lowance because of the veteran’s net assets at the time 
of the death of such veteran, or because of any contribu-
tion from any source toward the burial and funeral ex-
penses (including transportation) unless the amount of ex-
penses incurred is covered by the amount actually paid 
therefor by the United States, a State, any agency or polit-
ical subdivision of the United States or of a State, or the 
employer of the deceased veteran. 
‘‘(2) No claim shall be allowed— 
‘‘(A) for more than the difference between the 
entire amount of the expenses incurred and an 
amount paid by the United States, a State, any 
agency or political subdivision of the United States 
or of a State, or the employer of the deceased vet-
eran, as described in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(B) when the burial allowance would revert to 
the funds of a public or private organization or 
would discharge such an organization’s obligation 
without payment; or 
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‘‘(C) in any case where payment of expenses of 
funeral, transportation, and interment for the vet-
eran is made under any other Act.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 2302 
the following new item: 
‘‘2302A. Funeral expenses for homeless veterans not serving during wartime.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a)(1) shall apply to deaths occurring on or 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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