Parents now Can be Buried With Fallen Soldiers-YourFuneralGuy

Bill was Sponsored by Senator John Kerry Image via Wikipedia

Congress has passed a new law  that parents can be buried with Fallen Soldiers. This legislation has been before Congress for quite some time. The legislation however has gotten very little national attention.

A bill allowing parents of fallen soldiers to be buried with their children in any of the 131 national veterans’ cemeteries was passed this week by both houses of Congress, US Senator John F. Kerry’s office said today.

The Corey Shea Act, named for a 21-year-old Army specialist who was killed in Iraq in 2008, was sponsored by Kerry in the Senate and US Representative Barney Frank in the House.

“I feel more at peace now than I have in almost two years. I just feel elated that I can be buried with my son,” said Shea’s mother, Denise Anderson of Mansfield, who said she was “tired” from the yearlong fight to get the bill passed.

via www.boston.com

The bill was hr3949.

Funeral Industry| Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy Funeral Director, Illinois and Virginia

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New Oversight Legislation proposed For Arlington National Cemetery-YourFuneralGuy

Arlington National Cemetery Image via Wikipedia

There has been new oversight legislation proposed for Arlington National Cemetery(ANC). Since reports of record keeping and grave miss marking surfaced at  Arlington  National Cemetery.

Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Claire McCaskell of Missouri are supporting the Arlington National Cemetery Oversight Act.

U.S. Sen. Scott P. Brown, R-Mass., along with a bipartisan group of senators, has introduced legislation aimed at preventing the miss-marking of graves at Arlington National Cemetery in the wake of a series of revelations regarding the mishandling of remains of U.S. soldiers.

Mr. Brown said the Arlington National Cemetery Oversight Act would give Congress direct enforcement power over operation of the cemetery and impose new management requirements to prevent future cases of what he called “egregious mismanagement” at the cemetery.

Recent hearings into problems at the cemetery revealed as many as 6,600 graves may have been miss-marked at the cemetery.

via www.telegram.com

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NEW:McDonalds Casket, and ICasket from Apple-YourFuneralGuy

McDonalds Corporation has a new Casket it may be selling at Fast Food Locations. The Huffington Post and Not The Los Angeles Times is reporting on Steve Jobs abandoning the IPad For the ICasket.

The NFDA, National Funeral Directors Association’s Randal L Earl has requested to reappear before the Bobby Rush  Congressional Subcommittee in Congress (Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act) To Make sure these  Casket sellers are Regulated by the FTC. It is also been  reported that Batesville Casket Employees are organizing a protest against the new competition.

McDonalds Fast Funeral Casket,works well with cremation

Steve Jobs has abandoned the IPad for the ICasket. The dead can phone the living by touching the screen.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

icasket pic from Not The Los Angeles Times via The Huffington Post.

Fast Funeral pic from designyourway.net

Rush Bill Expands Funeral Consumer Protection-FTC|YourFuneralGuy

Cemeteries may soon be covered under federal law

A bill Proposed in Congress will expand consumer protection for those who buy a funeral. That includes most everybody. The FTC put out a statement saying ” FTC Tells House Subcommittee it will Help Identify Ways to Strengthen Consumer Protections in the Funeral Industry”

The hearing on 1/27/10 was led by Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush.

The Bill expands the FTC “Funeral Rule” to cover everything Funeral and Cemetery. The bill takes on problems brought into the light by the “Horriffic” Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal outside Chicago.

In the Consumers mind funeral and cemetery mean the same thing but cemeteries have never been brought in under the federal law.

The Federal Trade Commission today told the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce that the FTC will use its expertise to help the Subcommittee address the problems highlighted by last year’s horrific events at the historic Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

The testimony presented by Charles Harwood, Deputy Director in the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, also expressed strong support for the goals of H.R. 3655, to give consumers greater protection against fraud and abusive practices in the funeral industry.

via www.ftc.gov

This bill goes a step further than the recent Illinois Cemetery Oversight Act in that it covers religious  cemeteries. Those cemeteries are not covered under the recent Illinois Law.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT BEREAVED CONSUMERS PROTECTION ACT.COM  FOR ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ON THIS BILL.

It appears that the funeral rule may soon regulate cemeteries. Maybe the cemetery industry will begin to follow basic rules.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy

Hearing Held | Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act-YourFuneralGuy

On 1/27/20010 a hearing was held on the Bereaved Consumers Bill Of Rights Act by Congressman Bobby Rush. Four organizations testified according to WGN Radio 720 in Chicago. The Hearing was held by the House Committee on  Commerce and Energy. The legislation was brought on by the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal

CLICK HERE FOR FULL NEWS COVERAGE ON THE HEARING

NFDA-The National Funeral Directors Association–represented by Randal L Earl.

Earl Said that the NFDA supported the bill, but requested that Amazon.com and WalMart.com(selling Caskets) be covered by the FTC regulation. They must pose a threat!

FTC-Federal Trade Commission represented by Charles Harwood, deputy director of it’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Harwood stated that most cemeteries operate as non-profits, and that the FTC does not currently regulate them.

ICOTF- Illinois Cemetery Oversight Task Force represented by Patricia Brown Holmes, a retired judge.

Holmes said that the public thinks that cemetery and funeral people are one in the same and BOTH should be regulated.- This is an important statement for the funeral consumer.

ICCFA-International Cemetery Cremation represented byPaul M. Elvig

Elvig stated he was against the bill becoming law and  that  the legislation  would  make life diffucult for the non profit an religious cemeteries.by Your Funeral Guy.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News| Funeral Blog

CLICK HERE TO VISIT BEREAVED CONSUMERS PROTECTION ACT.COM  FOR ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ON THIS BILL.

In Congress the legislation is known as the Rush Bill

Source:WGN Radio.com

Politics & Funeral Industry Demise|Funeral Scandal-yourfuneralguy

Randall Hulgren is running for Congress

One of the reasons for the current Funeral Industry demise is Funeral Scandal. Funeral Directors claim that the press sensationalizes their scandals. If you go into a funeral home to do a funeral they will say others are  not dishonest, and that their home here in anytown is honest one. This may not be the case.

An example of this is Illinois where in spite of a 100 million dollar scandal many homes continue to do business with the Illinois Funeral Directors Association who misappropriated, lost stole ?40 million dollars before the market crash in 2008 .The losses have ballooned to over 100 million in 2009.

SADLY IT IS NOT SENSATIONAL BECAUSE FUNERAL SCANDAL HAS POLITICAL CONNECTIONS. In Illinois the connections go to Randall Hultgren and Roland Burris.

Some state leaders like State Senator Randall  Hultgren have given support by not speaking up. Hultgren hails from a funeral director family.

Many Funeral homes in Illinois continue to do business with the IFDA in spite of the Scandal. One Funeral home that has quietly supported the Illinois Funeral Directors Association is Hultgren Funeral Home. Randall Hultgren was originally elected to office with his fathers preneed money as a State representative and later a State Senator. On the State insurance committee  in the State Senate, He did not even weigh in on the Illinois Funeral Directors Scandal the largest in the State Senate. Now it appears he is running for Congress.

Randall Hultgren is mentioned here because he is running for Congress. Hultgren Funeral Home is mentioned here because they actively support the Illinois Funeral Directors Association (Scandal reported in the press) and Randy Hultgren throughout his political career.

My advice, do not vote for Hultgren. Do not use their funeral home, or prepay through the Illinois Funeral Director Association or anywhere else.

Funeral Industry\Funeral blog by Your Funeral guy.

Randall Hultgren is a political figure and politician in the State of Illinois. Hultgren Funeral Home is mentioned here because they tout the Illinois Funeral Director Association at their web site.

Has Senator Ted Kennedy planned his Funeral?-YourFuneral Guy

Senator Ted Kennedy’s health is in decline. Some reports say his medical condition is day to day. He has written a letter to Massachusetts leaders asking for a quick change in succession rules should he die.

It should be noted that Kennedy missed his sister”s Funeral(Eunice Kennedy Shriver) last week. He also missed a ceremony at the White House where he  received The Presidential Medal of Freedom-one of his children accepted the medal .

Clearly Senator Kennedy is thinking that he may die sooner rather than later. I am sure that the senator does not want to resign from the US Senate.

Snippet From Fox News

A cancer-stricken Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has written a poignant letter to Massachusetts leaders asking that they change state law to allow a speedy replacement of him in Congress…..Kennedy writes “it is vital for this commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election.”

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Ted Kennedy Pic from flickr under the creative commons license from

Feds holding Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal Hearing-yourfuneralguy

7.27.09 Feds are holding a Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal  Hearing. A congressional subcommittee  set up by Congressman Bobby Rush is meeting at the Dirkson Federal Building in Chicago.

The meeting will include testimony from Burr Oak Cemetery(families) victims. 300 graves were desecrated at Burr oak during July. Four people have been arrested. The Cook County Sheriff has the site closed as a crime scene.

The subcommittee is set up to see if Federal regulation of Cemeteries are needed. The Monday hearing  is at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago.

“From the Chicago Tribune”

“The special hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse also will consider whether the federal government should have some role in cemetery oversight.”

Hopefully the  US Congress will bring the Cemeteries in the USA  in under the regulations of the Funeral Rule.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal|Not a Federal Crime?-YourFuneralGuy

The Burr  Oak Cemetery Scandal  may not be Federal Crime. The Funeral Rule does not apply to cemeteries. The exception is Cemeteries with a Funeral Home on  Site.  A cemetery is covered under the Funeral Rule if they sell funeral goods and services. This appears not to apply to  Burr Oak Cemetery. The Cook county Sheriff would know that for sure.

In the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal 300 graves were desecrated. Bones were piled up and discarded. there is an  ongoing accounting of 100,00 graves.

The people arrested at Burr Oak Cemetery  may  not have committed a Federal crime under the Funeral Rule. This does not mean that the Funeral Rule should not apply to Cemeteries.The Federal Trade

Congress Needs to Amend The Funeral Rule to cover Cemeteries

commission does issue a warning at there website.

According to ftc.gov.

The FTC’s Funeral Rule does not cover cemeteries and mausoleums unless they sell both funeral goods and funeral services, so be cautious in making your purchase to ensure that you receive all pertinent price and other information, and that you’re being dealt with fairly.

The Federal Trade Commission needs to extend the Funeral Rule to Cemeteries.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)needs to issue an Advisory Ruling extending the Funeral Rule to Cemeteries. This will go along way to preventing future Burr Oaks across the United States.

CONGRESS NEEDS TO AMEND THE FUNERAL RULE SO THE BURR OAK CEMETERY SCANDAL DOES NOT HAPPEN SOMEWHERE ELSE

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

More information on this here.

Jack Kemp Funeral|Highlights-yourfuneralguy

A bipartisan delegation headed by Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) and U. S. House of Representatives Minority Leader John Boehner went to the Jack Kemp Funeral. I offer sincere gratitude to Jack Kemp for making this a better country- Your Funeral Guy

Jack Kemp’s economic policies brought broad  prosperity to many Americans.His civil rights advocacy activity helped bring personal freedom to millions. He was a true compassionate conservative Besides that to many he was a football hero.

A bipartisan delegation headed by Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) and U. S. House of Representatives Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) was led to the Jack Kemp Memorial Service on  May 8th 2009 Friday.

Dignitaries seen at the Jack Kemp Memorial  Service:

Sen. Lieberman, Colin Powell, Sen. Brownback, Charlie Rangell, John Dingel, Rep. Lungren, Rep. Pence, DonRumsfeld, Bob Dole, Michael Chertoff, Al Hunt, Bill Kristol, Bill Bennett, Michael Steele and more.

Summary- Jack Kemp Memorial  Service:

• Private Services for Jack Kemp were held 2pm Friday May 8th 2009 . Link to opening picture of Howard University choir singing

• The Howard University Choir opened the Service with singing at National Cathedral in Washington DC
  

  Jack Kemp running for President in 1988

• Episcopal Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane gave the invocation.

• A pastoral prayer was offered by the Reverend Alistair Begg, senior pastor of Parkside Church  in Bainbridge, Ohio

• A tribute by Charles Colson was given.

• The sermon was  preached  by Dr. Robert Norris, senior pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church of Bethesda,Maryland.

• Episcopal  Bishop of Washington DC John Bryson Chane gave the  benediction.

Sadly there was no national media live coverage of the Jack Kemp Memorial Service. Besides that to many he was a football hero.

I offer sincere gratitude to Jack  Kemp for making this a better country.

We need more leaders like Jack Kemp.

Funeral Industry/Funeral blog Your Funeral Guy| R Brian Burkhardt| Funeral Director Illinois and Virginia

Washington National Cathedral where the Jack Kemp Funeral was held

Sources:Sean Hannity Blog Memorial Service for Jack F. Kemp Open to Family, Friends and Former Colleagues

National Cathedral Pic from flickr under the creative commons license from

~MVI~’s photostream

sources: Fox News broadcasts from May 8th 2009

1988 Runup photo to presidential campaign from flickr under creative commons license Ray Gronberg’s photostream