Congressman Barney Frank
Representing Massachusetts' 4th District

House Passes Bill to Help Families of Fallen Veterans
November 3, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed legislation which would in special circumstances allow parents of fallen veterans to be buried with their adult child in U.S. military cemeteries. 

The vote was another important step forward for Denise Anderson of Mansfield, whose son Corey Shea was killed while on duty in Iraq almost one year ago.  Mrs. Anderson’s request to be able to be buried with her son in the U.S. military cemetery in Bourne had been rejected by the U.S. Department of Veterans affairs.  She subsequently contacted Congressman Barney Frank, who introduced legislation to allow Mrs. Anderson and other parents of fallen soldiers to be buried with their sons or daughters in special circumstances.  The bill became known as the Corey Shea Act.

Yesterday, Congressman Frank spoke on the House floor about the heroism of Corey Shea and about the bravery of his mother, who had traveled to Washington last month to testify in favor of the bill.  Frank also read Mrs. Anderson’s moving testimony before the Veterans Affairs Committee.

“I was crying when I watched it,” said Mrs. Anderson.  “I am glad that he was on my side.”

In his floor speech, Frank said that “we are grateful to her for giving us one more chance to show in a small way how much we honor those who have lost their lives.  I cannot think of a greater disproportion than what Denise Anderson gave to us, her son, and what she has asked us to give in return.”

After the vote, Congressman Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee said “I would like to thank Mrs. Denise Anderson of Mansfield, Massachusetts -- a woman whose courageous son gave his life for his country.  And I would also like to thank Congressman Frank, who has worked with this one woman to create legislation that will help military families all over the country."

Today’s vote is the last step in the House of a process which has moved quickly.  Less than a month ago, Mrs. Anderson and Congressman Frank were called to testify about the bill.  (Their testimony appears below.)  Two weeks later, a subcommittee of the House Veterans Committee voted to the advance the bill.  Last week the full Veterans Committee voted for legislation as part of a larger bill.

The bill that passed today, the Veterans’ Small Business Assistance & Servicemembers Protection Act (H.R. 3949), includes the entire language of the Corey Shea Act.

The bill was passed today with an overwhelming majority, 382-2.

 

See below:  Background on the bill, Mrs. Denise Anderson’s testimony before the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and Congressman Frank’s testimony before the same committee

 

BACKGROUND

According to current law, only spouses or minor children of deceased veterans may be buried in the same plot as their loved ones in national military cemeteries, unless special permission is granted by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.  Spc. Shea lost his life at the age of 21, leaving behind no surviving spouse or minor children. 

The US Department of Veterans Affairs denied the request of Shea’s mother, Denise Anderson, to be allowed to be buried with her son.  Mrs. Anderson asked Congressman Frank if he would help change the law to allow parents of deceased veterans to be interred with their adult children if the veteran has no living spouse or minor children.

Earlier this month, Mrs. Anderson traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify in favor of the bill before the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.  Her testimony, along with that of Congressman Frank who also appeared before the Committee, is printed below.

The legislation grants parents of deceased veterans the right to be buried with their children if the veteran has no living spouse or minor children.  The legislation stipulates this does not cause any veteran to be displaced.  The bill covers veterans who died in battle or in preparation for battle, and it includes either biological or adoptive parents.