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| Date: | August 31, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Chris Van Guilder | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-1388 | | Contact Email: | christopher.vanguilder@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| STATEMENT FROM SENATOR PARRY ON GOVERNOR, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DECISION TO CONTINUE HONOR GUARD FUNDING |
(ST. PAUL) -- Sen. Mike Parry (R-Waseca), Chairman of the Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans Committee, issued the following statement in response to Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Shellito’s decision to continue Honor Guard funding.
“In a commitment to hold veterans harmless during the budgeting process, Veterans Affairs and Military Affairs were two of the few areas of the entire state budget that received an increase in funding for Fiscal Years 2012-13. It was alarming to learn of initial reports that, despite this increase, the Governor’s Administration decided to discontinue the program of reimbursements for military funeral honors.
“According to Minnesota Statute, the commissioner of veterans affairs ‘shall pay, within available funds’ up to $50 to a requesting local veterans unit to provide an honor guard detail at the funeral of a deceased veteran. It is encouraging to learn that the Governor, his administration and Commissioner Shellito consider the small cost of the Honor Guard to be within ‘available funds,’ as noted by Minnesota law.
“I am committed to doing anything I can to ensure that our military veterans and their families continue to receive the honor of a dignified burial service. I look forward to working with Gov Dayton and Commissioner Shellito to establish a permanent funding process for this important service.”
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