{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://toomey.senate.gov?p=news&id=1211", "Toomey Works To Ensure Honorable Interment For Unclaimed Cremated Veterans? Remains [press_release]", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Patrick Toomey", "T000461", "toomey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of his latest effort on behalf of veterans, U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) has introduced a measure which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assess the issue of cremated veterans' remains that have gone unclaimed at funeral homes. The measure also recommends actions to inter these remains with military honors in our national cemeteries.\nVeterans' burial benefits include interment in national cemeteries.\u00a0 As part of this process, the VA is responsible for communicating with funeral directors to identify a deceased individual's veteran status and determine whether efforts have been made to locate next of kin.\u00a0 Unfortunately, tens of thousands of veterans' cremated remains continue to lie unclaimed on the shelves of funeral homes across the nation.\u00a0\n\"When our veterans pass, they should be honored in a way that reflects the bravery and sacrifice they showed in defending our country,\" said Sen. Toomey.\u00a0 \"With this in mind, I believe Congress needs to learn more about the VA's processes to recover veterans' cremated, unclaimed remains and develop an action plan to help resolve this issue that is so important for our veterans' community.\"\nThe highly respected Missing in America Project (MIAP) has made it their mission to \"locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans through the joint efforts of private, state, and federal organizations.\"\u00a0\n\"Our veterans deserve a proper burial.\u00a0 Pennsylvania alone has over 1,600 funeral homes of which we have to personally visit to determine if they are holding veteran cremated remains.\u00a0 MIAP needs cooperation and volunteers to assist in our efforts.\u00a0 Having legislation at the federal level will help open doors.\u00a0 I applaud Sen. Toomey's efforts through this legislation to help not only the MIAP mission, but also help to assure that our veterans, their spouses, and their dependents receive a proper burial,\" said Lanny Golden- MIAP Assistant Pennsylvania State Coordinator.\n\"Often, there is no family to claim the cremated remains of veterans, and they are left at the crematorium or at the funeral home languishing on shelves in basements or store rooms for years-- never being given the proper burial and respectful interment that the veteran earned from his/her honorable service to our country.\u00a0 It is my hope that the actions that Sen. Toomey is taking will generate a national guideline that can be followed across the country,\" said Kenneth White- Vice President, Rolling Thunder Chapter 5, Pennsylvania.\nPennsylvania veterans and veterans' organizations also voiced support of Sen. Toomey's measure:\n\"All veteran remains should be taken care of as soon as the undertaker processes them.\u00a0 The absence of a next of kin or a means of payment is no reason to hold the remains of a veteran hostage.\u00a0 These veterans sacrificed years of service to make sure we have the freedoms we enjoy now.\u00a0\u00a0 We have a responsibility to these veterans to make sure they are able to rest in peace,\" said John Getz - State Adjutant and Quartermaster, VFW Department of Pa. State HQ.\n\"Veterans that serve with honor have earned a fitting resting place.\u00a0\u00a0 The remains of a veteran should not be placed on a shelf and forgotten, waiting for someone to pick them up,\" said William Cleveland - Department Commander, Pa. American Legion.\n\"Sen. Toomey's support of this vital legislation can begin to ensure that all veterans find a dignified and proper resting place. For far too long this has not been the case. We thank the senator for having the courage and foresight to change the status quo,\" said David Kamioner - U.S. Army (RET), Executive Director, Philadelphia Veterans Comfort House.\n\"Our entire military force and our twenty million veterans believe strongly in the Army Warrior Ethos principle: I\u00a0will never leave a fallen comrade.\u00a0\n\"This promise to our fallen brothers and sisters should not end at the edge of the battlefield.\u00a0 We owe it to our fallen to ensure their remains are treated with\u00a0a dignity commensurate with their sacrifice to our nation.\u00a0 Unclaimed remains of any veteran, regardless of the reason, indicate a breach of our duty to our comrades.\u00a0 Just as veterans have been advocating for the fullest possible accounting of our missing in action, there should be no doubt about our national resolve to account for and lay to rest these veterans,\" said Bart Farzati-\u00a0 SMSgt. USAF (RET), \u00a0Legislative chair, Viet Nam Veterans of America, Chapter 862, Beaver County,\u00a0 Pa.\n\"Unclaimed veteran remains are an unfortunate reality in the United States. \u00a0Estimates suggest about 40,000 await burial; that figure will rise when the National Guard wins veteran status. \u00a0I strongly support Sen. Toomey's initiative to clearly define this challenge and lay out a clear path to an honorable rest for our dead warriors,\" said Vance Renfroe - Col. USAF (RET), President, Renfroe Associates International.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://toomey.senate.gov?p=news&id=1211"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4027389697730541, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}