Peace Garden News

In 1985, U.S. Air Force Veteran Dennis "Denny" Krisfalusy and his wife, Lois, lost their lives in an earthquake in Mexico City. While Dennis received a memorial headstone at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Pennsylvania, Lois was not eligible to have her name added due to a date restriction imposed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Current law only allows the VA to provide burial markers or headstones for spouses and dependent children who died after November 11, 1998, and before October 1, 2025.

To address this issue, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Dave McCormick (R-PA) have introduced bipartisan legislation named the Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act. This act aims to eliminate the existing restriction and permanently expand VA burial benefits for veterans and their families.

Senator Cramer stated: “Families of service members sacrifice and serve alongside their loved ones, but outdated restrictions prohibit the VA from providing a memorial headstone for military spouses and dependents if they passed away before 1998,” adding that he joined Senator Fetterman in reintroducing the act to honor these family members' service.

Senator Fetterman emphasized: “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,” highlighting that arbitrary barriers prevent honoring individuals like Lois Krisfalusy with their spouses.

Senator McCormick remarked: “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,” expressing pride in supporting this bill which amends restrictions on military memorial headstones for pre-1998 veteran families.

The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that families such as the Krisfalusys can be laid to rest together without bureaucratic hindrances.