Dear Friend, 

When an American veteran passes away, their families deserve to lay them to rest with honor and without delay.  Unfortunately, for many of our Gold Star families, this is not always the case.

Too often, veterans’ families wait up to eight weeks to receive a signed death certificate. Delays in obtaining this simple document prevent families from accessing the benefits they have earned and force them to prolong their grief and endure extreme costs to maintain their hero’s body as they are unable to be buried without a signed death certificate.

This is unacceptable.

WATCH: Congressman Emmer discusses the Veterans Burial Accountability Act 

No family should be forced to endure delays in obtaining their late veteran’s death certificate. After speaking about this issue with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, the VA implemented a new policy requiring veterans’ death certificates to be signed within two business days.

To ensure this policy is codified in law, we’ve introduced the nonpartisan Veterans Burial Accountability Act. The legislation also authorizes local coroners, medical examiners, and nurse practitioners to sign veterans’ death certificates in the event the VA is unable to meet the 48-hour deadline. This legislation has been cosponsored by 78 Members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, and is supported by more than 400 state and local leaders.

The pain of losing a loved one who served our country should not be compounded by bureaucratic delays in laying them to rest. While 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 these heroes with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Sincerely,