Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, have introduced new legislation aimed at updating the burial scheduling system managed by the Veterans’ Administration’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA). The Honest Operations for National Cemetery Reporting (HONOR) Act would require the NCA to create and maintain an online portal where families can monitor cemetery wait times.

“Our veterans put their lives on the line so that we can maintain the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. A burial ceremony in a cemetery with their fellow veterans is a part of how we honor their sacrifice,” said Rounds. “Unfortunately, families across the nation are left in the dark about burial availability. Some families have experienced delays in scheduling burial ceremonies, waiting over a week or more at many cemeteries and up to 30 days at one cemetery. Here in South Dakota, the Black Hills National Cemetery maintains an average burial availability of two days. This should be standard across the nation. However, if a family must wait to hold a ceremony for their loved ones, knowing how long it will be and having the ability to request the earliest possible date brings added comfort during a difficult time.”

Blumenthal stated: “Ensuring veterans receive the burial ceremony they deserve at a veterans’ cemetery is an important part of honoring their legacy and service to our nation. Our bill will make sure veterans’ families and loved ones have improved access to information about how long it will take for their loved one to receive a burial ceremony during an already difficult time.”

The proposed legislation directs NCA to begin developing data infrastructure needed for better tracking and transparency regarding burials. By improving transparency on burial availability and creating systems to track and analyze wait times, supporters believe that these changes will help ensure dignity, timeliness, and respect for every veteran and their family.

The NCA currently provides various burial benefits at no cost to eligible individuals’ families. These include gravesites in national cemeteries with available space, opening and closing of graves, perpetual care, government-provided headstones or markers, burial flags, and Presidential Memorial Certificates. In fiscal year 2023 alone, nearly 138,000 individuals were buried in national cemeteries operated by NCA.

Further details on this legislation are available through official channels.