,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bcji  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #af1 #bjbe,mr4   
,boozman 7= himself & ,ms4 ,hassan7     
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
direct a physician or nurse practition] 
employ$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs to c]tify ! dea? ( a vet]an n  
lat] ?an #dh h\rs aft] su* physician or 
nurse practition] le>ns ( su* dea?1 & = 
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,vet]an ,burial        
,timel9ess & ,dea? ,c]tificate          
,acc\ntability ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s        
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,/ates &  
c\nties h report$ significant delays 9 !
 sign+ ( dea? c]tificates = vet]ans :o  
pass away f natural causes4  7#b7 ,su*  
delays1 caus$ by ! refusal (1 or        
po/ponem5t by1 physicians ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs h1 9 "s cases1 la/$ 
z long z eight weeks4  7#c7 ,su* delays 
prev5t ! timely burial ( deceas$ vet]ans

 & access to survivor b5efits4  #c4     
,timely c]tification ( ! dea? ( a vet]an
  7a7 ,9 g5]al  7#a7 ,,va physician or  
nurse practition] ,subject to p>agraph  
7#b71 a physician or nurse practition]  
employ$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs :o is ! prim>y c>e provid] ( a 
vet]an :o dies ( natural causes %all    
c]tify ! dea? ( su* vet]an n lat] ?an   
#dh h\rs aft] su* physician or nurse    
practition] le>ns ( su* dea?4  7#b7     
,coron] or m$ical exam9] ,if a physician
 or nurse practition] describ$ 9        
p>agraph 7#a7 _c comply ) su* p>agraph )
 respect to a dea? describ$ 9 su*       
p>agraph1 a coron] or m$ical exam9] 9 ! 
jurisdiction :]e su* dea? occurr$ may   
c]tify su* dea?4  7b7 ,report  7#a7 ,9  
g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( !
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & annually        
!reaft]1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to !   
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a  
report reg>d+ compliance ) subsection   

7a74  7#b7 ,elem5ts ,ea* report requir$ 
"u p>agraph 7#a7 %all include1 ) respect
 to ! ye> prec$+ ! date ( ! report1 !   
foll[+ elem5ts3 7,a7 ,! p]c5tage ( cases
 9 :i* a physician or nurse practition] 
employ$ by ! ,secret>y compli$ )        
subsection 7a77#a74  7,b7 ,! numb] (    
cases 9 :i* su* a physician or nurse    
practition] c\ld n s comply4  7,c7 ,an  
id5tification ( ! mo/ common reasons :y 
su* a physician or nurse practition]    
c\ld n s comply4  7c7 ,rule (           
con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all       
require any employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+ a physician  
or nurse practition]1 to take an action 
n 9 compliance ) ! laws1 regulations1 or
 requirem5ts ( ! appropriate            
jurisdiction 9 :i* ! employee is lic5s$ 
or practic+1 or 9 :i* a dea? may ne$ to 
be c]tifi$4