Nunn Bill to Honor Unclaimed Veterans with a Dignified Burial Recognized in Veterans’ Affairs Committee

In his remarks, Rep. Nunn highlighted the story of Joseph Chedester, a Union Civil War soldier whose remains went unclaimed when no family member came forward, leaving him forgotten and unburied for nearly a century. In 2024, Rep. Nunn attended the ceremony where Chedester was finally laid to rest with full military honors after an Iowa nonprofit, Final Salute, spent months researching his records to verify his service.

Chedester's story underscores a national problem. In 2023 alone, the VA identified more than 20,000 unclaimed veterans. In many cases, the obstacle to a dignified burial is the painstaking work required to conduct record review, establish military service, and find next-of-kin - research often coordinated by funeral homes, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations operating with limited resources.

"Joseph put his life on the line to keep the United States united, and for nearly a century, no one came for him," continued Rep. Nunn . "It took a group of dedicated Iowans to bring him home and lay him to rest with honor. This bill makes sure the people doing that quiet, painstaking work have the resources to keep doing it, for every veteran still waiting."

The VA's Veterans Legacy Grant Program currently supports cemetery research, educational programming, and efforts to preserve the stories of veterans buried in national cemeteries. The Unclaimed Veterans' Legacy Grant Program Act temporarily expands the authorized use of existing grant funding so recipients can dedicate resources to locating, identifying, transporting, and interring unclaimed veterans.

"No veteran who wore America's uniform should ever be forgotten. Across eastern North Carolina, we know freedom is not free," said Rep. Davis . "Generations of brave men and women from our communities have stepped forward to serve, sacrifice, and defend the country we love. Our responsibility does not end when their service ends. Every veteran deserves to be properly identified, remembered, and laid to rest with the dignity and honor they earned."

"On behalf of 1.5 million veterans nationwide, The American Legion proudly supports the Unclaimed Veterans' Legacy Grant Program Act ," said Cole T. Lyle, National Legislative Director, The American Legion . "It is our duty as a nation to find, recover, and memorialize our nation's veterans with dignity. We must ensure organizations that carry out this task have the resources they need to do so efficiently and effectively. We thank Representative Nunn and his staff for their work on this legislation, and we look forward to seeing it pass into law."

"The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs supports the Unclaimed Veterans' Legacy Grant Program Act , which broadens the scope of the Veterans Legacy Grant Program to include applications for locating unclaimed or abandoned veteran remains and interring them in national cemeteries," said Todd Jacobus, Commandant, Iowa Department of Veterans' Affairs . "This legislation is a step in the right direction for our veterans - all of whom are deserving of a dignified resting place befitting of their sacrifice."

"Every veteran deserves to be identified, honored, and laid to rest with dignity. This legislation will help strengthen the efforts of funeral homes, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers working to ensure that no veteran is forgotten in death," said Lesley Witter, Senior Vice President of Advocacy, National Funeral Directors Association .

Specifically, the Unclaimed Veterans' Legacy Grant Program Act would:

• Allow Veterans Legacy Grant Program recipients to use existing grant funding to locate unclaimed or abandoned remains believed to belong to veterans.
• Help cover the interment of eligible veterans in VA national cemeteries.
• Strengthen partnerships with nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, funeral homes, and community groups already carrying out this work across the country.
• Accomplish these goals using existing resources without creating a new federal program or increasing taxpayer spending.

The Unclaimed Veterans' Legacy Grant Program Act is endorsed by the Iowa Department of Veterans' Affairs and the American Legion.

Text of the bill is available here .

###