Congressman Barney Frank
Representing Massachusetts' 4th District

Bill to Help Parents of Fallen Veterans Leaps Another Hurdle
October 28, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the full House Veterans Affairs Committee voted in favor of legislation that would allow parents of certain deceased veterans to be buried with their loved ones in U.S. Military cemeteries.

The Corey Shea Act, which was introduced by Congressman Barney Frank as a stand-alone bill, was incorporated into a larger veterans’ benefits bill which the Committee passed today.  The original legislation was introduced by Representative Frank in response to a request made by Mrs. Denise Anderson of Mansfield, whose son Army Specialist Corey Shea was killed in Mosul, Iraq during November of 2008.

Commenting on passage of the bill, Congressman Frank said: “The considerable speed with which the Corey Shea Act has moved forward in Congress is a testament both to the dedication of my colleagues and to that of Denise Anderson, Corey's mother.  I look forward to the full House passing this legislation soon.”

“I would like to thank Congressman Frank for working to address the needs of veterans and their families,” said Congressman Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.  “As we work to keep the promises to the families of our soldiers and veterans, I applaud his leadership on this important and honorable issue.”

The Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the Veterans Committee held a hearing on the bill on October 8th.  Subcommittee Chairman John Hall put the bill to a vote on October 21st.  Today, less than three weeks later, Veterans Committee Chairman Bob Filner and his colleagues voted to pass the bill.

The legislation is likely to come to a vote on the House floor next week.

For a summary of the entire bill, click here.

 

BACKGROUND

According to current law, only spouses or minor children of deceased veterans may be buried in the same plot as their loved ones in national military cemeteries, unless special permission is granted by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.  Spc. Shea lost his life at the age of 21, leaving behind no surviving spouse or minor children. 

The US Department of Veterans Affairs denied the request of Shea’s mother, Denise Anderson, to be allowed to be buried with her son.  Mrs. Anderson asked Congressman Frank if he would help change the law to allow parents of deceased veterans to be interred with their adult children if the veteran has no living spouse or minor children.

Earlier this month, Mrs. Anderson traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify in favor of the bill before the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.  Her testimony, along with that of Congressman Frank who also appeared before the Committee, is printed below.

The bill passed by Committee today grants parents of deceased veterans the right to be buried with their children if the veteran has no living spouse or minor children.  The legislation stipulates this does not cause any veteran to be displaced.  The bill covers veterans who died in battle or in preparation for battle, and it includes either biological or adoptive parents.