WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) introduced the Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act, a bill which would help Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) locate and collect the unclaimed remains of veterans to ensure they are properly laid to rest.

“All veterans deserve to receive a military burial and recognition for their service to our nation," said Congressman Valadao. "Unfortunately, when a deceased veteran has lost contact with their family—or has no next-of-kin at all—their unclaimed remains can sit on a funeral home shelf collecting dust for years. Ahead of Memorial Day, I’m proud to introduce the Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act to create a centralized system that helps Department of Veterans Affairs identify any unclaimed remains and ensure these veterans are laid to rest with the dignity, respect, and military honors they deserve."

"Far too often, missing or unidentified remains of those who have defended our freedoms are left unclaimed. The Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act, led by my friend, Rep. David Valadao, would set up a central system to ensure coroners, state governors, and funeral homes can submit the unclaimed remains they believe are veterans. I appreciate my friend, Rep. David Valadao, for his leadership on veterans’ issues and for introducing this important bill ahead of Memorial Day to ensure every veteran receives an honorable and dignified burial," said House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost.

Background:

Unlike missing or unidentified remains, individuals classified as unclaimed are often known by name but lack family or friends willing or able to claim them for burial. In 2023, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimated that out of approximately 150,000 unclaimed remains nationwide, roughly 20,298 were veterans. While coroners and funeral homes may contact VA when they suspect an unclaimed individual is a veteran, VA currently does not have a formal system for intake and identification. The Locating Our Unclaimed Veterans Act would direct the Veterans Benefits Administration to implement a digital intake and identification system for unclaimed remains and match it against existing VA records. This bill would also ask VA to develop Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Social Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Defense to develop a system for utilizing information collected by VA to confirm the identity and veteran status of the unclaimed remains.

Read the full bill here.

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