WASHINGTON, D.C. — On March 25, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Dave McCormick (R-PA) introduced the Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at permanently expanding the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) burial benefits. The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that veterans, their spouses, and dependent children can be honored with memorial headstones or markers, regardless of when they passed away, correcting what proponents see as a significant gap in eligibility criteria.
Honoring a Lifetime of Service
The measure eliminates current VA regulations that restrict eligibility for memorial headstones or markers to spouses and dependents of veterans who died after November 11, 1998, and before October 1, 2025. By doing so, the legislation would allow all qualified family members to be commemorated alongside their veteran loved ones in recognition of their shared sacrifices.
“We can never repay the debt we owe our veterans and their families for their sacrifices to keep our country safe. We have a responsibility to honor those sacrifices regardless of when a family member died,” said Senator Fetterman. “Lois Krisfalusy should be honored with her husband, Dennis – but arbitrary barriers are preventing that. It’s common sense that families like theirs deserve to be laid to rest together, and I’m proud to lead a bipartisan effort to correct this injustice.”
Senator Cramer echoed the sentiment. “Families of service members sacrifice and serve alongside their loved ones, but outdated restrictions prohibit the VA from providing a memorial headstone for military spouses and dependents if they passed away before 1998,” he stated. “I joined Senator Fetterman in reintroducing our bipartisan Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act to remove this hurdle, honoring the service of these family members to our nation.”
Senator McCormick further emphasized the importance of addressing the issue, saying, “Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, and we owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. I’m proud to support this commonsense bill amending restrictions on military memorial headstones for families of veterans before 1998. Bureaucracy should not stand in the way of our veterans and their families being laid to rest honorably while also recognizing their service.”
A Story of Love and Sacrifice
The legislation is named in honor of Dennis “Denny” Krisfalusy, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force, and his wife, Lois Krisfalusy. The couple tragically passed away during the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City, with neither of their remains recovered. Dennis received a memorial headstone at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Pennsylvania to honor his service, but due to current VA guidelines, Lois’s name could not be added.
For the Krisfalusy family, the bill is about bridging the gap in recognition and ensuring future families do not face the same limitations. Pat Krisfalusy–Maxon, Dennis’s sister, praised the effort, saying, “On behalf of the Krisfalusy family, I would like to thank the bipartisan leadership of Senators Fetterman and Cramer, as well as Reps. Reschenthaler, Deluzio, Meuser, Kelly (PA), G.T. Thompson, and Brownley for their support to amend an issue that has impacted many military families.”
She added, “The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act, named after my beloved brother and his beautiful wife, will ensure that all military families will be memorialized with their name on a military headstone regardless of when they passed away. We were saddened to learn that Lois’s name would not appear on Denny’s stone, as they were united in both marriage and death. Should this bill pass, their marker would forever memorialize their undying love for each other. As their bodies lie in an unmarked grave in Mexico City, the headstone in the Cemetery of Alleghenies will forever be a reminder to our children, and our grandchildren of their uncle’s service to our country, and the wife that stood by him. Denny will always be our hero. We are forever grateful to all that served, and to the people that made this bill happen.”
Bipartisan Support
The bipartisan nature of the Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act underscores its broad appeal. Along with the Senate sponsors, Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Dan Meuser (R-PA), G.T. Thompson (R-PA), and Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced a companion version in the House of Representatives.
This united effort highlights the determination to ensure the sacrifices made by military families are appropriately honored, regardless of how much time has passed. If passed, the bill would rectify longstanding limitations in VA burial benefits and provide overdue recognition to military families like the Krisfalusys.
The Path Forward
The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act represents more than a policy adjustment; it is a testament to the enduring commitment to honor those who have served and the families who stood beside them. For families across the United States, the legislation could bring both closure and acknowledgment, ensuring future generations understand the depth of the sacrifices made for the nation’s freedom.
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