Us Code § 1488 - Removal of remains
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 1488 — Removal of remains, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 1488. Removal of remains
(a)
(b)
(c)
(2) The Secretary of the Army, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may authorize the removal of the remains of a covered member of the armed forces who is buried in a cemetery of the National Cemetery System from that cemetery for transfer to any Army National Military Cemetery.
(3) A removal of remains may not be authorized under this subsection unless the individual seeking the removal of the remains—
(A) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Army that the member of the armed forces concerned has no known next of kin or other person who is interested in maintaining the place of burial; and
(B) undertakes full responsibility for all expenses of the removal of the remains and the reburial of the remains at another cemetery as authorized by this subsection.
(4) In this subsection:
(A) The term "Army National Military Cemetery" means a cemetery specified in section 7721(b) of this title.
(B) The term "covered member of the armed forces" means a member of the armed forces who—
(i) has been awarded the Medal of Honor; and
(ii) has no known next of kin.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 115; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title V, §594, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3395; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1840.)
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 1488 | 5:2160 (as applicable to armed forces). | July 15, 1954, ch. 507, §10 (as applicable to armed forces), 68 Stat. 480. |
The words "national cemeteries, other installation cemeteries, or" are omitted as surplusage.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (c)(4)(A). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted "section 7721(b)" for "section 4721(b)".
2014—Pub. L. 113–291 designated first sentence of existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, designated second sentence of existing provisions as subsec. (b), inserted heading, and substituted "the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned" for "his jurisdiction", and added subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
About This Section
10 U.S.C. § 1488 is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 10 U.S.C. § 1488. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.