A bill was introduced this month to help the Department of Veterans Affairs locate and collect unclaimed remains of veterans to ensure they are properly laid to rest.
Although funeral homes may contact the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) when they believe an unclaimed individual may be a veteran, the VA currently does not have a formal system for intake and identification.
The Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act, initiated by Congressman David Valadao (CA-22), would direct the Veterans Benefits Administration to implement a digital intake and identification system for unclaimed remains and match it against existing VA records.
“All veterans deserve to receive a military burial and recognition for their service to our nation," said Valadao. "Unfortunately, when a deceased veteran has lost contact with their family—or has no next-of-kin at all—their unclaimed remains can sit on a funeral home shelf collecting dust for years.”
According to the VA, it was estimated in 2023 that out of approximately 150,000 unclaimed remains nationwide, roughly 20,298 were veterans.
This proposed bill would also ask the VA to develop Memorandums of Understanding with the Social Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense to develop a system for utilizing information collected by VA to confirm the identity and veteran status of the unclaimed remains.
"Far too often, missing or unidentified remains of those who have defended our freedoms are left unclaimed,” said House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost. “The Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act, led by my friend, Rep. David Valadao, would set up a central system to ensure coroners, state governors and funeral homes can submit the unclaimed remains they believe are veterans.”
To read a copy of the bill, visit here..
