The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“UNIFORMED CHAIN OF CUSTODY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E663 on April 26, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
UNIFORMED CHAIN OF CUSTODY
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HON. MIKE COFFMAN
of colorado
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to restore respect for the remains of our fallen heroes by mandating a uniformed chain of custody for overseas military casualties.
Since the beginning of combat operations in Afghanistan, there have been several instances of gross misconduct in the treatment of the remains of our fallen heroes. Body parts have been lost, the cremated remains of 274 servicemembers were dumped in a landfill, and in one incident a Marine was dismembered in order to fit inside his uniform. In each of these unfortunate examples, non-uniformed personnel were intimately involved in the callous behavior. To ensure the reverent care of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, I am sponsoring a bill that mandates a uniformed member of the armed services be accountable for the remains of overseas casualties from the battlefield until the remains are accepted by the member's next of kin.
Civilian personnel involved in the chain of custody are not subject to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, UCMJ, and the Department of Justice has not seen fit to prosecute a single case of misconduct. A uniformed chain of custody law would clearly define accountability for the remains as a military honor and duty, and any violations of this responsibility will be punishable under UCMJ.
The men and women who serve as our nation's Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines have few assurances when they deploy to combat to defend our nation. One of the few assurances they do have is that if they make the ultimate sacrifice and lay down their lives in the line of duty, then their remains will be treated with the utmost dignity and respect of a grateful nation. I believe this is not only a legal requirement, but also our moral obligation. My legislation will reassure servicemembers and their families that our nation honors their service in life and in death.
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