On the ‘Charles Duncan Buried with Honor Act’

On the ‘Charles Duncan Buried with Honor Act’

www.cotton.senate.gov Last week, I introduced the Charles Duncan Buried with Honor Act, a bill that would expand the cemetery burial options offered by the VA to financially insolvent veterans. First, I want to share the story of the bill’s namesake, Mr. Charles Duncan, a Navy veteran from Little Rock, Arkansas. Mr. Duncan died last year at the age of 66. When he died, he was financially insolvent and his family couldn’t afford his funeral costs. Thanks to a bill passed in 2012, Mr. Duncan was eligible for VAassistance with his burial costs.

But because of a small gap in that law, Mr. Duncan and other veterans like him can only receive this assistance if they’re buried in a national cemetery. In a state the size of Arkansas, this rule can necessitate hours of travel to reach the closest cemetery. You may know that we have three national cemeteries: one in Little Rock, one in Fort Smith and one in Fayetteville. But the national cemetery in Little Rock is full, leaving Fort Smith and Fayetteville as the only options. In Mr. Duncan’s case, his adult daughter had no means of transportation and was unable to make the drive to Fort Smith from Little Rock and missed her father’s funeral. Since then, she’s been unable to visit her father’s grave.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to allow these veterans the option of a state veterans cemetery if that cemetery is closer to the veteran’s home? You may also know that Arkansas has two state cemeteries, one in Little Rock and one in Birdeye. Both have plenty of room for more veterans.

Mr. Duncan could have been laid to rest in the Little Rock state cemetery, saving taxpayer money and allowing friends and family to attend the service or visit the gravesite.

This is a small, but important change. It comes at small cost to the VA, especially when you consider the sacrifices our veterans made and the solace this could provide their loved ones. Additionally, this change would not add additional stress to the VA or distract from their other efforts. It is a simple, straight-forward change that the VA is equipped to handle.

I recently testified in front of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee about this bill and received positive feedback from my colleagues. I am hopeful this bill will be included in a larger package of Veterans bills the Senate will consider and will ultimately become law.

Charles Duncan wasn’t the first veteran in this position, but we can help ensure he is one of the last.

Tom Cotton is a Republican and the Junior Senator from the State of Arkansas.

From U.S. Senator Tom Cotton