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S. 554Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act

Sponsored by Tom UdallSen. Tom Udall (D-NM)
Introduced February 26, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 2:05 AM UTC

The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow the cause of death for people listed in the burn‑pit registry to be added after they die. It lets a designated person or an immediate family member submit that information, and it obligates the VA to establish a system for making such designations. The changes affect veterans and other individuals who are registered in the burn‑pit registry and their families.

Key Provisions

  • Within 180 days of the law’s enactment, the VA Secretary must set up a way for a deceased person’s cause of death to be added to the burn‑pit registry.
  • The update can be made by a person the deceased designated, or if none was named, by an immediate family member.
  • The VA must create a process that lets a registered individual name a designated person for this purpose.
  • The bill defines “burn pit registry,” “immediate family member,” and “registered individual” for clarity.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

February 26, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 26, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

February 26, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued February 26, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 554

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 26, 2019

Mr. Udall (for himself and Mr. Sullivan) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take actions necessary to ensure that certain individuals may update the burn pit registry with the cause of death of a registered individual, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act.

2.

Updates of burn pit registry established and maintained by Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)

Individuals eligible To update

(1)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take actions necessary to ensure that the burn pit registry may be updated with the cause of death of a deceased registered individual by—

(A)

an individual designated by such deceased registered individual; or

(B)

if no such individual is designated, an immediate family member of such deceased registered individual.

(2)

Designation

The Secretary shall provide, with respect to the burn pit registry, a process by which a registered individual may make a designation for purposes of paragraph (1)(A).

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term burn pit registry means the registry established under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note).

(2)

The term immediate family member, with respect to a deceased individual, means—

(A)

the spouse, parent, brother, sister, or adult child of the individual;

(B)

an adult person to whom the individual stands in loco parentis; or

(C)

any other adult person—

(i)

living in the household of the individual at the time of the death of the individual; and

(ii)

related to the individual by blood or marriage.

(3)

The term registered individual means an individual registered with the burn pit registry.