New Bill Bans Capital Crime Offenders from National Cemeteries, Mandates Specific Exhumation

The “Bertie’s Respect for National Cemeteries Act” is a piece of legislation focused on who gets to be buried or memorialized in our National Cemeteries, including Arlington and those run by the VA. The core change is simple but significant: it bans anyone convicted of a Federal or State capital crime from being interred or memorialized in these hallowed grounds (SEC. 2).

The New Vetting Requirement: Checking the Fine Print

For the average person, this might seem like a common-sense policy, but the bill adds a new layer of administrative work that affects the VA. Federal officials must now take “every reasonable step,” including checking public records, to ensure that no one being buried is barred by this new rule (SEC. 2). Think of it like a new, mandatory background check for burial eligibility. If you’re the administrator processing paperwork for a veteran’s final resting place, this means more due diligence, which could potentially slow down the process if the records check isn’t standardized and quick. The bill also clarifies that the existing rules allowing disinterment now apply to any burial or memorialization that happens after this new law takes effect.

The Highly Specific Case of George E. Siple

This is where the bill gets highly unusual. Section 3 doesn't deal with policy; it deals with one individual. The bill specifically mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of George E. Siple from Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. This is an extremely rare move—using federal legislation to target the remains of a specific, named person for removal.

Before the VA can dig up the remains, they must contact Mr. Siple’s next-of-kin listed on record. Once exhumed, the VA must either hand the remains over to that next-of-kin or, if the family can’t be reached or doesn’t want them, the VA has to arrange a “proper burial or final disposition somewhere else suitable” (SEC. 3).

Why This Matters for Everyday People

While the capital crime ban generally reinforces the sanctity of national cemeteries, the specific disinterment mandate in Section 3 raises significant questions about legislative overreach. When Congress singles out one deceased person for punitive action via statute, it sets a precedent that bypasses the standard administrative or legal procedures usually involved in cemetery removals. For the family of George E. Siple, this means enduring the deeply personal and often painful process of having a loved one’s remains forcibly removed because of a change in federal law.

For the VA, this bill means not only a new, mandatory burden of criminal record checking for all future interments—adding complexity to an already sensitive process—but also the immediate administrative task of executing a targeted exhumation. This is a reminder that policy often isn't just about broad rules; sometimes it cuts right down to the specific, difficult, and highly personal details of people's lives.