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Legislation to Support the Profession

NFDA's Advocacy team works hard to make a positive impact on the laws and regulations that directly affect funeral service professionals and small business at the national level. 

We are here to support you! Please contact NFDA's Advocacy team if there are additional issues you are concerned about. 

NFDA will advocate for two bills in the 116th Congress:

  • H.R. 497/S. 597: The BRAVE ACT – Burial Rights for America’s Veterans’ Efforts Act of 2019
  • H.R. 1835: The Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act of 2019

Why is the BRAVE Act so important? Meet Bill and Bob.

H.R. 497/S. 597: The BRAVE ACT – Burial Rights for America’s Veterans’ Efforts Act of 2019 to ensure that all non-service-connected veteran deaths are treated equally, regardless of where a veteran’s death occurs or the circumstances at their time of death.

The Consensual Donation & Research Integrity Act

H.R. 1835: The Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act of 2019 to ensure the consensual donation and respectful disposition of human bodies and non-transplantable human body parts donated for education, research and the advancement of medical, dental and mortuary science for research purposes by amending the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.).

Current Legislative & Regulatory Issues

NFDA Position:
NFDA will continue its active involvement with all relevant federal or state departments, agencies, and private organizations to ensure that the role of funeral service in any natural or man-made mass-fatality disaster is clearly defined and adequately reflected in their policies.

Background:
NFDA has been in the forefront of advocating that the federal government and all federal agencies recognize the need and importance of funeral service and a national policy for the orderly recovery, identification, processing, and the conduct of funeral services and final dispositions for those who died from and during a natural or man-made mass-fatality event. 

NFDA Position:
NFDA will initiate and support legislation, rules and regulations that improve funeral and burial benefits for Veterans and their families, and will continue to work with Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, individual service branches, veterans service organizations and other interested parties to improve funeral and burial benefits available to veterans and their families. 

Background:
Currently, there are numerous funeral and burial benefits available to veterans and their families including burial in national cemeteries, headstones and markers, memorial plots, presidential certificates, burial flags, reimbursement of burial expenses, life insurance, and other related benefits.

As always, NFDA will actively monitor these issues, educate members and engage regulators and legislators if or when they arise.

Updated: January 9, 2019