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| Wilson Legislation Approved in U.S. House |
October 08, 2003 |
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| Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson’s legislation to help veterans’ widowed spouses was approved be the U.S. House of Representatives late Wednesday.
Wilson’s bill, which is on its way to the Senate, will fix the law which prevents widowed spouses of veterans who have since remarried from being eventually laid to rest beside their spouses in national cemeteries. At least one Albuquerque woman is waiting for the problem to be corrected so that her mother can be laid to rest after three years.
"Today’s vote expresses the respect and appreciation we feel for our veterans and their spouses,” Wilson said. “Behind most of our 26 million veterans there are husbands and wives who have shared their burden, and are also important to our nation. Our veterans and their spouses and families deserve to have this problem corrected, and I’m so pleased with this action.”
One of Wilson`s constituents in Albuquerque, Kay Brown, has been unable to bury her mother’s ashes for more than three years because of the language in the current law. Kay’s mother, Francis Gilkerson, had a 56-year marriage, but remarried after her husband’s death at age 84. She had been informed she would be able to be laid to rest alongside her first husband. But after her death, her family’s request was denied by the Veterans Administration.
“That was the one thing she had always wanted,” said Brown. “That was three years ago last month.”
Brown said she is delighted to hear that the bill has been approved by the House. Wilson`s bill is endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) and its Ladies Auxiliary. The Administration also supports Wilson`s bill.
"Current law gives surviving veteran spouses - many of them elderly women - a sad choice: Live alone in order to keep your burial right or, give up your right to be buried with your first spouse to have companionship in your sunset years," said Wilson.
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