Daines Applauds VA Acting to Fix Headstone Policy

Press Release

Congressman Steve Daines today applauded news that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was making good on their promise to fix a National Cemetery policy that has resulted in numerous veterans being laid to rest without headstones.

After receiving pressure from Daines during a recent Congressional hearing, the VA National Cemetery Administration has announced today that grave markers have been ordered for four of eight veterans that had been laid to rest without a headstone at the Yellowstone County Veteran's Cemetery in Laurel, Montana.

"Our veterans have sacrificed so much in service to our nation, and it's important that they receive the honor and respect they deserve, both in life and in death," Daines stated. "I'm thankful that the VA has upheld its promise to work to fix a broken policy that resulted in some of our veterans being laid to rest without grave markers honoring their service."

Last month, under Daines' questioning at a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing, VA official Glenn Powers pledged that the VA would "fix" this policy by early next year.

"I am here today because of these very troubling stories that have come my way and come to my attention from the veterans in my home state of Montana," Daines stated during the hearing. "At the Yellowstone County Veterans Cemetery in Laurel, Montana, just this year alone there are eight veterans who've been buried that have no grave marker."

"We're going to get this fixed," Glenn Powers, the VA National Cemetery Administration Deputy Under Secretary for Field Programs promised. "We have also talked about the specific incidents in Yellowstone, and we're going to question if there is an ability to remedy that before we fully implement the regulation. The intent is clear."

Earlier this year, the VA began requiring all veteran headstone applications to come from authorized family or the deceased veteran only, halting efforts from veterans groups to provide headstones to homeless veterans or veterans lacking next of kin. Under this policy, the VA had stopped accepting veteran headstone applications from anyone except authorized family members or the veteran themselves.

At the Yellowstone County Veteran's Cemetery in Laurel, Montana, there are eight veterans who were buried this year who have no grave marker, due to being homeless or having no next of kin. After the VA's announcement, Daines received word that headstones have now been ordered for four of the eight veterans.

Daines is also a cosponsor of H.R. 2018, the Honor Those Who Serve Act, which would amend current policy to allow such groups, military researchers, local historians, and other civic organizations to request headstones on behalf of fallen veterans to ensure a proper military burial.

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