Corey Shea Act Poised To Pass U.S. House

The U.S. House appears poised to pass a bill filed by Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, that would allow the parents of a U.S. service member killed in battle, to be buried in a national cemetery alongside their child.

Currently, only spouses and children of veterans are allowed to be buried with the veteran.  This measure would allow for parents to be buried with their veteran child, if the veteran leaves behind no spouse or child.

The bill was pushed by a Mansfield woman, Denise Anderson, whose son, 21-year-old Army Specialist Corey Shea, was killed in Iraq last year.

Shea had no spouse or child, so Anderson asked that when she died, she be allowed to be buried with her son. Frank says he filed the bill after he and Sen. John Kerry petitioned the Department of Defense and were denied.

“To her, it it is very important that he not be alone forever, that there be someone close to him,” Frank said. “This fills, in her mind, this gap and I admire her enormously for her perseverance here.”

The legislation is called the Corey Shea Act, after the Mansfield soldier.

Listen to Robin Young’s conversation with Denise Anderson on Here & Now.