Respectful Interment for Passing Veterans Act of 2016

Respectful Interment for Passing Veterans Act of 2016

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into a contract with at least one funeral home near each VA medical center for the expeditious provision of burial and funeral services for deceased veterans:

• who at the time of death were in receipt of compensation or a pension, or
• with respect to whom the VA determines that there is no next of kin or other person claiming the body and there are insufficient resources to cover burial and funeral expenses.

The VA must:

• establish a policy on the provision of respectful and timely burial of such veterans,
• ensure that such policy is based on best practices used in the private sector, and
• balance the interests of the deceased in identifying the deceased's next of kin and in having a timely burial.

The VA shall follow state and local government practices with respect to the treatment of unclaimed remains of deceased veterans until it establishes such policy.

The VA shall report annually regarding the remains of covered veterans who died in the most recently completed calendar year.