Us Congress House Bill HB4398

Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 7/15/25
• Refer: 7/15/25

Caption

Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act

Impact

The bill seeks to amend existing procedures within the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure a more efficient process for validating and certifying the deaths of veterans. By imposing a strict timeline for certification, the bill intends to alleviate the frustrations faced by families of veterans during a difficult time, ensuring that they can proceed with burial arrangements without undue delay. Additionally, the requirement for annual compliance reports to Congress is designed to hold the Department accountable for its timeliness in processing these certifications.

Summary

House Bill 4398, titled the 'Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act', aims to streamline the process for certifying the deaths of veterans who pass away from natural causes. The bill mandates that a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours after being notified of the death. This legislation addresses the significant delays reported in the process of signing death certificates, which has been problematic for veterans' families and has sometimes delayed burials and access to survivor benefits for extended periods, sometimes up to eight weeks.

Contention

Discussion surrounding HB 4398 highlights both its significance in serving veterans and the challenges related to its implementation. While the bill is largely supported as a necessary measure to improve the handling of veteran affairs, there are concerns regarding the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to meet the certification deadlines consistently. Critics may argue about the sufficiency of resources and personnel needed to enforce such mandates effectively, alongside the potential burden placed on VA healthcare providers during already demanding circumstances.