Emmer’s provision to support grieving military families passes the House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Emmer’s provision to support military families struggling to obtain their deceased veterans death certificates was included in the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA) Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the House of Representatives yesterday on a 218-206 vote.

Congressman Emmer’s report language requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to prepare a report offering solutions to ensure military families receive their deceased veteran’s death certificate in a timely manner.

“No family should have to suffer through this while they are dealing with the pain of losing a loved one – especially not our military families,” Congressman Emmer said. “I am grateful to the leadership of the Appropriations Committee for including this language in our MilConVA Appropriations package and look forward to the results of the report.”

Background:
In May, Congressman Emmer sent a letter to the leadership of the Appropriations Subcommittee on MilConVA urging them to include this language in the Fiscal Year 2026 MilConVA Appropriations package. You can read the letter in its entirety here.

The effort comes in response to reports Congressman Emmer's office has received about delays in signing death certificates for Minnesota veterans who died of natural causes. These delays, lasting up to eight weeks in some cases, cause significant distress for families, as veterans cannot be buried without a signed death certificate.

Congressman Emmer successfully advocated for similar language to be included in the Fiscal Year 2025 MilConVA appropriations bill. The FY2025 MilConVA Appropriations bill passed the House of Representatives but failed to receive a vote in the United States Senate.

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