Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine’s 2nd District has introduced legislation to ensure that veterans’ spouses and children who are buried at tribal veterans cemeteries are provided government-furnished headstones or markers, the same as family members buried at national and state veterans cemeteries.
Poliquin says, right now, only the veterans themselves, buried in tribal veterans cemeteries, are eligible for the memorials.
“So that is completely unfair. Anybody who has served our country in uniform deserves to be treated with respect and be treated fairly and equally, of course,” he says.
Poliquin says among those who would benefit from the legislation is the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, which created the first tribal veterans cemetery east of the Mississippi River.
“When we found out that these terrific veterans in the tribe, their spouses and kids could not have the same rights and privileges and honor that other veterans have, we just thought that was just completely unfair,” he says.
Poliquin says the Houlton Band of Maliseets took advantage of a law passed several years ago that allows the Veterans Administration to fund tribal cemeteries.
