Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) introduced H.R. 8854, the Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2024. This pro-veterans’ legislation is written to ensure that the families of deceased veterans are not constrained when deciding the manner in which their loved one is laid to rest.  Specifically, this legislation allows a veteran’s survivor who initially chose to receive an urn or plaque from the VA to also have their loved one interned at a VA National Cemetery at a later date if they cover the costs of that urn or plaque. 

“Our nation’s honored dead sacrificed – and some even gave their own lives – so ‘that our nation might live’ and our American experiment in liberty could be preserved for future generations,” said Rep. Yakym. “We owe it to the loved ones of our deceased veterans to honor their memory and ensure that their sacrifices are properly recognized. I am proud to introduce this commonsense legislation on behalf of families and friends of veterans who have gone before us so that more of our veterans can be remembered and honored in a VA National Cemetery as their final resting place.”  

“Our nation owes our veterans a debt that can never fully be repaid, and ensuring they have the dignified final resting place they have earned is a fundamental duty,” said House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost. “My friend from Indiana’s bill, the Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2024, would fix a loophole and rightfully allow a veterans’ family to inter their loved one in a VA National Cemetery, even if they previously opted for an urn or plaque. Rep. Yakym’s bill is a commonsense solution to give veteran families the flexibility to make the best burial decision for their loved one’s final resting place. I look forward to moving this bill through the legislative process soon.”