In 2024, I stood at an Iowa grave site as Joseph Chedester, a Union soldier, was finally laid to rest with full military honors, nearly a century after he died. For decades, his remains sat unclaimed in a central Iowa funeral home after his death in 1929. It wasn’t until an Iowa nonprofit, Final Salute, dug through historical records, confirmed his military service, and brought him to his final resting place for the dignified burial he had earned.
The problem: Joseph’s story is far from unique. In 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs identified more than 20,000 unclaimed veterans nationwide. Without family members to claim them, it often falls to non-profits, funeral directors, and dedicated volunteers to do the painstaking work of researching military records, confirming service, and ensuring these veterans are not forgotten.
What’s new: After serving two decades in uniform, I take our promise to leave no one behind personally. That’s why I’m leading the bipartisan Unclaimed Veterans’ Legacy Grant Program Act, so more veterans’ stories end the way Joseph’s did: with the honor, dignity, and military burial they earned.
Our bill would:Â
🇺🇸 Help nonprofits locate and identify remains of unclaimed veteransÂ
🔎 Support the research efforts needed to verify military service and restore veterans’ identitiesÂ
âš“ Ensure eligible veterans receive burial in a national cemetery with full military honorsÂ
💵 Accomplish all of this with existing VA grant funding, at no additional cost to taxpayers
Why it matters: Identification is what unlocks the benefits a veteran earned through their service — a place in a national cemetery, a flag presented in their honor, and a headstone that ensures their story is never lost. By supporting the organizations already doing this work, we can help fulfill our nation’s commitment to those who served.
Bottom Line: The promise to leave no one behind doesn’t end when a servicemember comes home. I’ll keep fighting to get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so every veteran who served our country is found, identified, and laid to rest with the honor they earned.