Bill Overview
Title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the equitable restoration of eligibility for provision of Department of Veterans Affairs memorial headstones and markers for eligible spouses and dependent children of veterans whose remains are unavailable.
Description: This bill expands eligibility for memorial headstones and markers provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to commemorate individuals whose remains are unavailable. Specifically, the bill removes a date limitation to make eligible for a headstone or marker spouses of veterans or certain servicemembers, surviving spouses of veterans, and eligible dependent children of veterans or certain servicemembers, regardless of the date the individual died.
Sponsors: Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]
Target Audience
Population: Eligible spouses and dependent children of veterans or certain servicemembers whose remains are unavailable
Estimated Size: 1500000
- The bill impacts families of veterans and certain servicemembers whose spouses and children are eligible for memorial benefits.
- It specifically expands eligibility for memorial headstones and markers for cases where the remains are unavailable.
- There are 19 million veterans in the U.S. as of 2021.
- Not all veterans or their families will be impacted, only those whose family member's remains are unavailable and died before the previous date limitation.
- The global target includes families of U.S. veterans and servicemembers living abroad, as well as potentially servicemembers from allied countries who qualify.
Reasoning
- The primary affected population includes families of veterans or servicemembers whose remains are unavailable and who were previously ineligible due to date restrictions.
- This policy expansion will largely impact individuals grieving a family member with unavailable remains, offering them a symbolic closure through memorial recognition.
- The budget constraints imply that not everyone who qualifies will receive immediate benefits; priority might be given based on application timing or severity of need.
- Policy costs in the first year are for administrative setup and initial headstone provision, scaling up over ten years as more families apply.
- Population commonness ratings are influenced by the rarity of the specific conditions needed for impact—i.e., dependent on the historic death dates and unavailability of remains.
Simulated Interviews
Retired Nurse (Texas)
Age: 68 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This amendment is overdue. Families like mine need closure even decades later.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Software Engineer (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this change helps deal with some of the unresolved feelings our family still grapples with.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Teacher (Florida)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I wouldn't seek a marker if it means others with greater connections have to wait.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Military Officer (Virginia)
Age: 73 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- For those old soldiers, a marker shows respect and closure to their service stories.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Artist (New York)
Age: 34 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel like art projects bring us more closure than a headstone would.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Therapist (Ohio)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's more about public acknowledgment for our missing family members for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Construction Worker (Illinois)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will at least give our family a site to visit, to mourn properly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Veterinarian (New Jersey)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This might impact my aunt more than me, but the change shows respect to all involved.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Entrepreneur (Colorado)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Forms and approvals might be another source of stress for families like ours.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Engineer (Washington)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing there's a memorial would be a small comfort to our family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $35000000)
Year 2: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $35000000)
Year 3: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $35000000)
Year 5: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $35000000)
Year 10: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $35000000)
Year 100: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $35000000)
Key Considerations
- Estimating the number of eligible candidates is challenging, due to the absence of detailed data on veterans' families with unavailable remains.
- The government will bear costs related to an increase in applications and subsequent verifications of eligibility for memorial benefits.
- Implementing the policy may necessitate expansions or modifications within existing VA administrative structures.
- Expenses related to engraving, delivering, and setting up memorial markers make up a large part of ongoing costs.