Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act

This bill aims to speed up death certificates for veterans so families can arrange burials and access survivor benefits without long delays. It says the VA primary care doctor or nurse practitioner must certify a veteran’s death from natural causes within 48 hours of learning about it. If they can’t, the local coroner or medical examiner may do it instead. Congress notes some families have waited as long as eight weeks for a signature, which delays funerals and benefits .

The VA must also report each year on how well this 48‑hour rule is being followed, why it sometimes isn’t, and how often others had to step in. Nothing in the bill forces anyone to break state or local rules for death certification .

• Who is affected: Veterans’ families, VA primary care providers, local coroners/medical examiners
• What changes: Death certificates for natural causes must be certified within 48 hours; backup by coroner/medical examiner if needed; VA must report yearly on compliance
• When: 48 hours after the provider learns of the death; first VA report due one year after the law takes effect, then annually