H.R. 5833 (112th): Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement Act of 2012

Introduced:
May 18, 2012 (112th Congress, 2011–2013)
Sponsor:
Rep. Shelley Berkley [D-NV1]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on May 18, 2012, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced May 18, 2012
Referred to Committee May 18, 2012
Cosponsors
none
Committees

House Veterans' Affairs

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase burial benefits for veterans, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated May 18, 2012.
7 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

5/18/2012--Introduced.
Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 - Increases the authorized allowance for burial and funeral expenses for deceased veterans who:
(1) at the time of death were in receipt of veterans' disability compensation or veterans' pension benefits, or
(2) were veterans of any war or were discharged or released from active military service for a service-connected disability and have no next of kin or sufficient resources to cover funeral and burial costs.
Increases the burial and funeral allowances for veterans who:
(1) at the time of death, were receiving hospital or nursing home care in or through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); or
(2) die as a result of a service-connected disability.
Authorizes the annual adjustment of such allowances by the same percentage increase as adjustments to benefit amounts payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act. Authorizes a burial plot allowance, as well as reimbursement for a burial headstone or marker, for a veteran of any war.
Authorizes the VA to cover the burial and funeral expenses of a deceased veteran:
(1) who is homeless, has no next of kin or other person claiming the body, and does not have sufficient resources to cover such expenses;
(2) whose service in the Armed Forces was not during wartime; and
(3) who was either discharged under honorable conditions or died during a period deemed to be active service.
Prohibits any deduction from the burial allowance because of a veteran's assets or because of any contribution toward the burial and funeral expenses, unless the expenses incurred are covered by the United States, a state, an agency or political subdivision of the United States or a state, or the veteran's employer.

House Republican Conference Summary

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House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

United States Code

The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)