Additional Veteran’s benefit proposed

Georgia’s Senator Johnny Isakson and 8^th District Congressman Austin Scott, yesterday introduced the Veterans Cemetery Benefit Correction Act, a bill to require the U.S. Department of the Interior to provide outer burial receptacles for veterans buried in cemeteries under the control of the National Park Service. In Georgia, this would include Andersonville National Cemetery. Current law only provides receptacles in a national cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration, a branch of the Veteran’s Administration.

Senator Isakson said:

Currently there is a gap in benefits for veterans who are buried in a cemetery managed by the National Park Service. This creates an undue burden on the veteran and their family. With this bill, we are seeing to it that all veterans and their families are receiving the burial benefits they have earned.

While Congressman Scott remarked:

To honor their sacrifices and commitment to our country, it is our duty to take care of our warfighters and their families, which is why I am pleased to introduce this commonsense legislation alongside Sen. Isakson to ensure our veterans receive equal burial benefits regardless of where they are laid to rest.

Of the 14 national cemeteries controlled by the National Park Service, two are still active: Andersonville National Cemetery in Georgia and Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Tennessee.