Bill would open veteran burial to parents

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- A bill inspired by the plight of a woman who wants to be buried with her soldier son in a military cemetery has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Corey Shea Act is named after a soldier who died Nov. 12, 2008, in Iraq when an Iraqi soldier shot several of his U.S. colleagues. His mother arranged for his burial in a military cemetery in Bourne, Mass., and applied to the Veterans Affairs Department for a waiver so she can be buried with him, ABC News reported.

When Denise Anderson was turned down, she went to Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., for help.

"He didn't have a chance to get married and have children. He was only 21 when he died," Anderson told ABC News. "I don't want him to be alone."

Under current rules, only spouses and children can be buried with veterans. The bill would allow parents to be buried in military cemeteries only when soldiers have no spouses.

The bill is awaiting action by the Senate. The VA supports the measure but some veterans' groups, like American Veterans, oppose it, arguing military cemeteries should be restricted to veterans.