Chuck Osier Burial Benefits Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 5639 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish urns for the remains of certain veterans whose cre- mated remains are not interred in certain cemeteries. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 16, 2020 Mr. BRINDISI (for himself and Mr. WALTZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish urns for the remains of certain veterans whose cremated remains are not interred in certain cemeteries. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chuck Osier Burial 4 Benefits Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:38 Jan 21, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5639.IH H5639 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 5639 IH SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION 1 OF URNS FOR REMAINS OF CERTAIN VET- 2 ERANS WHOSE CREMATED REMAINS ARE NOT 3 INTERRED IN CERTAIN CEMETERIES. 4 Section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, is 5 amended— 6 (1) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as 7 subsections (i) and (j), respectively; and 8 (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the fol- 9 lowing new subsection (h): 10 ‘‘(h)(1) In lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker 11 under this section to a deceased individual described in 12 paragraph (3), the Secretary shall furnish, upon request 13 and at the expense of the United States— 14 ‘‘(A) an urn made of any material to signify the 15 individual’s status as a veteran, in which the re- 16 mains of such individual may be placed at private 17 expense; or 18 ‘‘(B) a commemorative plaque signifying the in- 19 dividual’s status as a veteran. 20 ‘‘(2) If the Secretary provides an urn or commemora- 21 tive plaque for a veteran under paragraph (1), the Sec- 22 retary may not provide for such veteran— 23 ‘‘(A) a headstone or marker under this section; 24 or 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:05 Jan 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5639.IH H5639 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 5639 IH ‘‘(B) any burial benefit under section 2402 of 1 this title. 2 ‘‘(3) A deceased individual described in this para- 3 graph is an individual— 4 ‘‘(A) who served in the Armed Forces on or 5 after April 6, 1917; 6 ‘‘(B) who is eligible for a headstone or marker 7 furnished under subsection (d) (or would be so eligi- 8 ble but for the date of the death of the individual); 9 and 10 ‘‘(C) whose remains were cremated and not in- 11 terred in a national cemetery, a State veterans’ cem- 12 etery, a tribal cemetery, or a private cemetery.’’. 13 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:05 Jan 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5639.IH H5639 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS