Congressman Walter Jones Takes Action | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Releases:

Jones Advocates for Proper Burial for All Veterans

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) is calling for the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve its system for identifying and interring unclaimed remains of veterans. It is estimated that each state is home to the unclaimed remains of 1,000 veterans, and organizations such as the Missing In America Project often encounter obstacles in their quest to locate, identify, and bring these individuals to a final resting place. For example, some funeral homes refuse to cooperate with such organizations due to liability concerns, and the National Cemetery Administration has no accountability system in place to ensure that veterans who have been approved for burial benefits are actually buried.

    In a letter to Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson, Congressman Jones and 14 of his House colleagues requested that the VA immediately begin a study to remedy these issues.

    "Our veterans have bravely served our country and deserve to be honored with a proper burial," said Congressman Jones. "I applaud the work of the Missing In America Project and will continue to do everything I can to support the effort to bring each of these service members to a final resting place."

    The Missing In America Project is active in North Carolina and last month facilitated the burial of 15 veterans in the Salisbury National Cemetery.

Jones Applauds Court Decision in Favor of Beirut Bombing Victims

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) released the following statement applauding the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for upholding a district court's ruling that $1.75 billion of Iranian money should be distributed to the families of the victims of the 1983 bombing of a Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon:

    "I applaud the appeals court for upholding this ruling in favor of the families whose loved ones were tragically killed as a result of an act of violent terrorism in which the government of Iran played a vital role," said Congressman Jones. "While no amount of money will ease the pain caused by the loss these individuals have suffered, this ruling is a small token of justice and reiterates the fact that acts of violence against American service members cannot be executed without consequences."

    The money in question is currently being held in an account in New York. Congressman Jones has long advocated for justice for the families of the victims and has supported bipartisan legislation to that end.


    Sarah Howard
      Communications Director

    Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3)

     2333 Rayburn House Office Building
     Washington, DC 20515

     sarah.howard@mail.house.gov  •  (202) 225-3415