Rep. Tim Kennedy has introduced the Our Heroes Act, a bill allowing families of veterans who died before Nov. 1, 1990, to request free government-issued headstones. Currently, these families are ineligible due to a cost-cutting measure enacted in 1990.
Kennedy emphasized the importance of honoring fallen servicemembers with fitting tributes, regardless of when they passed. The bill was inspired by Jody Mellerski’s advocacy for her father, Technical Sergeant Florian J. Fenclau, a WWII veteran and Purple Heart recipient.
The National Cemetery Administration, under the Department of Veterans Affairs, oversees military headstone requests.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].