Congressman boosts American Legion-endorsed project to properly lay to rest the remains of unknown soldiers

WASHINGTON, DC (May 26, 2009) -- An Ohio Congressman has introduced legislation designed to bolster an effort backed by The American Legion to respectfully and reverently inter the unidentified or abandoned remains of military veterans.
U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, introduced a bill entitled the "Veterans Missing in America Act." The proposed legislation was inspired by a two-year old program endorsed by The American Legion which is designed to assure the remains of unknown military veterans are no longer left neglected and abandoned in funeral homes.
     "It's easy for the remains of veterans to slip through the cracks," Tiberi said. "If there is no next of kin identified, these former military service members' remains are often kept indefinitely at funeral homes, literally sitting on a shelf. This bill would help veterans service organizations (with the assistance of the Department of Veterans Affairs) identify these remains, and if proven to be qualifying veterans, ensure a proper burial in a National Cemetery," Tiberi said.
     "We encourage adoption of this bill," said David K. Rehbein, National Commander of The American Legion. "Those who have served our country in uniform deserve special recognition and respect in death as well as in life."
In May, 2007, The American Legion formally endorsed the Missing in America Project (MIAP) - the genesis of Rep. Tiberi's bill. MIAP volunteers, many of them members of The American Legion, request records from mortuaries with the aim of taking custody of abandoned veterans' cremains (cremated remains) and interring them with military honors. "Some (funeral homes) are appreciative and open their doors wide," says Fred Salanti, MIAP's national executive director and founder. "Others, especially the big chains, absolutely forbid their people to help us. That's where The American Legion is a tremendous asset. As a veterans service organization authorized by Congress and the nation, it commands a different level of respect."