Deluzio, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Memorial Access for Veteran Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA), alongside Congressmembers Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Dan Meuser (R-PA), and G.T. Thompson (R-PA) reintroduced the Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act.This bipartisan legislation would provide a memorial headstone or marker through the Department of Veterans Affairs to an eligible spouse or dependent child of a veteran in a national cemetery or state or tribal Veterans cemetery regardless of the date of death. Under current law, eligible spouses and dependent children who passed before November 11, 1998, or after October 1, 2024, are ineligible to be added to a memorial headstone or marker. Additionally, this legislation would update federal law to extend this important veteran benefit beyond 2024 for an additional eight years.

This bill was named in honor of Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy, a veteran and his spouse who were killed in a Mexico earthquake in 1985. In 2023, Dennis was given a memorial marker at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Washington County, Pennsylvania. His wife, Lois, is currently ineligible.

"This bipartisan bill would make sure that eligible spouses and children can be included on veterans' memorial headstones or markers," said Congressman Deluzio. "This bill is a powerful way to honor how important family is to our nation's veterans, and to provide comfort to the family members they leave behind. I am proud to reintroduce this bill with Congressman Reschenthaler and other members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation."

"As a Navy veteran, I am acutely aware of the essential support that a service member's family provides to the success of our Armed Forces," said Congressman Reschenthaler. "The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Actis a commonsense, bipartisan, and vital step to recognize and honor these loved ones who have sacrificed so much for the United States."

"The great sacrifices veterans and their families make cannot be overstated," said Congressman Meuser. "Congress must ensure that arbitrary deadlines do not hinder a military family's ability to properly honor their loved ones. I appreciate Congressman Reschenthaler's efforts to support the Krisfalusys and our entire veteran community."

"1.5 million Americans have died for this great country. This legislation allows us to not only honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, but also to honor their loved ones who made sacrifices of their own," said Congressman Kelly. "I'm proud to join Rep. Reschenthaler and our colleagues on this important legislation. This is a significant step toward honoring military families."

"Our veterans and their families make significant sacrifices for our country, and they deserve to be honored alongside their loved ones," said Congressman Thompson. "As an army dad, to a son who is a Purple Heart wounded warrior, I am proud to support bipartisan legislation updating an outdated law to ensure that all military family members receive the honors they rightfully deserve."

"Our nation's veterans and their families make incredible sacrifices in service to our country, and we must honor them in life and in death," said Congresswoman Brownley. "Ensuring spouses and children are properly recognized on memorial headstones is not only the right thing to do but a meaningful way to uphold our solemn promise to those who served."

Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy's story was previously covered in the Observer-Reporterhere.

View the full text of the legislation here.

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