Dear Friend, 

When an American veteran passes away, their families deserve to lay them to rest with respect and without delay. Unfortunately, for many families whose loved ones die under the care of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), this is not always the reality.

In far too many cases, veterans’ families are forced to wait up to eight weeks for a signed death certificate. Delays in obtaining this simple document prolong the family’s grief as they are unable to bury their loved ones without it, delay their access to the benefits they have earned, and force them to endure extreme costs to maintain their relative's body before the burial.

This is unacceptable.

To address this problem, we’ve introduced the Veterans Burial Accountability Act, a nonpartisan bill that will require the VA to certify a veteran’s death due to natural circumstances within 48 hours. If the VA cannot meet this deadline, the legislation authorizes local coroners, medical examiners, or nurse practitioners to sign the death certificate. We are proud to share that this legislation has been cosponsored by a group of 50 Members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, and is supported by more than 400 state and local leaders.

Although this legislation cannot repay our military families for their sacrifices, it will allow them to grieve their loved ones on their own timeline and bury them with the respect and dignity that they deserve.

Sincerely,