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You Can Help with Cemetery Reform-Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:55:35 +0000

The Bereaved consumers Bill Of Rights Act is coming up for a vote in a Congressional Committee on Wed 7.21.10. This is an Important Congressional Vote for historic cemetery and death care reform.

The Bereaved Consumers Protection Act is in the the legislative process in the US Congress.

Recent Cemetery Scandals could have been prevented if this bill had been in effect. Those are the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal, The Eden Memorial Park Scandal and the recent Scandal at Arlington National Cemetery.

World's Largest Funeral Corporation has had a cemetery Scandal, like Bur Oak

Cemeteries often have little regulation and get away with price gouging. Recently I helped a Friend with a a grave site purchase and because there was no Law I could do nothing about the $4700.00 Price Gouging. This was a corporate ,NYE:SCI, Service Corporation International cemetery, price gouging.

I have issued a Call to Action on the Wed, 7.21.10. possible committee vote.

Snppet From YourFuneralGuy.wordpress.com:

Your Funeral Guy asks you to IMMEDIATELY do three things:1.) Phone the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee at 202-225-2927 and 202-225-3641—you need to call BOTH numbers—to express emphatic support of H.R. 3655.

2.) Phone friends and relatives and ask them to IMMEDIATELY call the two phone numbers listed above to express their emphatic SUPPORT to H.R. 3655.

3.) Phone your Congressman and tell him/her to contact the Energy & Commerce Committee to express SUPPORT for H.R. 3655. (Contact info for your Congressman is easily found at www.house.gov at upper left hand corner at “Enter Your Zip Code.”

The National Funeral Directors Association Has done the same Thing in Their Facebook Notes

via yourfuneralguy.wordpress.com

Snippet From NFDA Facebook Page:

The NFDA HAS CALLED FOLKS TO ACTION ON THEIR FACE BOOK PAGE

“ACTION NEEDED: House Committee Expected to Act on Bereaved Consumer’s Bill of Rights

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to meet in the coming week to consider and vote on the “Bereaved Consumer’s Bill of Rights Act of 2009″ (H.R. 3655), a bill which would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate a separate rule covering all sellers of funeral or burial goods or services, including cemeteries, crematories and third-party sellers of funeral or burial goods or services.

The bill was pulled from committee consideration in early May at the request of its primary sponsor, Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., because of his opposition to a proposed amendment that would exempt non-profit religious cemeteries from the bill. Rush was concerned that for-profit cemetery operators could use the exemption to escape the requirements of the rule. While there was bipartisan support for the bill, and it most likely would have passed had the amendment not been introduced, it was pulled so committee staff could draft language that would address concerns about non-profit and religious cemeteries.

Because the Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to discuss this bill very soon, it is vital that you contact your representatives to demonstrate your support for this important legislation.

What is H.R. 3655?
H.R. 3655 would require the FTC to initiate a separate rule covering all sellers of funeral or burial goods or services, including cemeteries, crematories and third-party sellers of funeral or burial goods or services.

Why support H.R. 3655?
Through the Funeral Rule, the federal government regulates a portion, but not all segments, of funeral service. Consequently, consumers are only protected when they deal with funeral homes. H.R. 3655 would set a minimum national standard with which all sellers of funeral or burial goods or services – including non-profit and religious organizations – not covered by the Funeral Rule must comply. It would only apply to those who sell funeral or burial goods or services to the public, not to other businesses.

A lack of minimum national standards and inadequate state regulation has resulted in numerous serious scandals involving cemeteries and crematories. These scandals have caused untold emotional and financial stress and strain for consumers. These scandals have also damaged the reputation of the funeral service profession. A uniform federal rule is the only solution.

If passed, this bill would protect families by requiring cemeteries, crematories and third-party providers to provide minimum disclosures and establish practice requirements and prohibitions comparable to those that funeral homes must comply with under the Funeral Rule.

H.R. 3655 would not impose new fines or penalties. The fines and penalties that would apply to cemeteries, crematories and other third-party sellers under H.R. 3655 are the same ones that apply to funeral homes”

via www.facebook.com

Funeral Industry, Funeral News, Funeral Blog By Your Funeral Guy

The Bereaved Consumers Bill Of Rights Act is Moving Through Congress

One would hope that congressman Joe Barton would keep his Mouth shut at this next hearing as he has seemed to put his foot in his mouth last time the committee met on this, and when he spoke out on the BP Oil spill!

THE ICCFA is against this legislation, the Funeral Consumers Alliance is for it, along with the NFDA.

Technorati Tags: arlington national cemetery, bereaved consumer bill of rights act, bobby rush, burr oak, cemetery, congressman, death care, eden memorial park, ftc, funeral rule, HR 3655, joe barton, National funeral directors association, NFDA, nyse:sci, reform, service corporation international

Congressman Bobby Rush to Speak at National FCA 2010 Conference|YourFuneralGuy

Your Funeral Guy — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:00:06 +0000

Congressman Bobby Rush(D-IL) will be a Speaker at the The Funeral Consumers Alliance 2010 Conference. Congressman Rush is the sponsor of the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Actof 2009-Funeral and Cemetery and Reform Legislation written in response to the tragic Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal.of July 2009. The conference is scheduled for June 2010.

Congressman Bobby Rush

Early in March 2010, Congressman Rush spoke at the NFDA Advocacy Summit a meeting of Funeral Industry Lobbyists in Washington DC. Interestingly, both the Funeral Consumers Alliance and the National Funeral Directors Association support the Funeral and Cemetery Reform legislation, which will set up a second “Death Care” Industry Rule regulating Cemeteries and Third parties that sell Funeral Goods and Services to the public. Click HERE For Details of the this legisation

These organizations, FCA and NFDA are traditionally opposed to one another.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance(FCA) is the premier Funeral Industry Consumer watchdog group. The National Funeral Directors Association,NFDA is the primary Organization For Funeral Directors in the USA.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy, Funeral Director Illinois and Virginia.

Your Funeral Guy i supports the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act.

Disclaimer- Your Funeral Guy is formerly a member of both the NFDA and the FCA but has no current affiliation with either organization.

Congressman Rush has displayed great courage in being the main sponsor of this legislation.

Technorati Tags: bereaved consumers bill of rights act, Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act of 2009, bobby rush, Burr Oak Cemetery, cemetery, congressman, death care, Death Care Industry, fca, funeral, Funeral Consumers Alliance, funeral industry, Funeral News, National funeral directors association, NFDA, Scandal

Breaking News-Funeral Consumers Rights act moving toward passage|Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:34:26 +0000

The Bereaved Consumer Bill of Rights Act is moving toward passage in the House of Representatives. The bill will bring cemeteries and third party providers under the FTC(Federal Trade Commission) Funeral Rule. This bill will bring openness and change to the Funeral Industry, by keeping the providers honest. It will go along way to stopping a Scandal like the one one at the Burr Oak Cemetery near Chicago in July 2009.

The Bill was marked up to the Full House Committee, Yesterday.

Here is Congressman Bobby Rush’s opening statement at March 24th hearing:

“The first bill up for consideration is H.R. 3655, the Bereaved Consumer’s Bill of Rights Act. I authored this bill, which was introduced on September 25, 2009.

H.R. 3655 directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate rules requiring ALL cemetery, crematoria, and mausoleum owners to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures and pricing information about their products and services, including costly pre-need contracts, memorials, burial rights, grave liners, and vaults. These owners would also be required to produce and retain existing records pertaining to the location, date, and rights associated with each internment, inurnment, or entombment of human remains.

H.R. 3655 makes misrepresentations of Federal, state, and local requirements and the improper tying of goods and services out to be violations of the FTC Act regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.

H.R. 3655 does not preempt state laws or actions. It would enable states’ attorney generals to bring civil actions on behalf of state residents in federal District Court for compliance enforcement and for money damages and restitution as deemed appropriate by the Court.

This is a good bill that establishes federal minimums to protect vulnerable consumers from being taken advantage of and levels the playing field between discrete segments of the funeral goods and services industry, which consumers perceive as being a single “one-stop shop” marketplace. Accordingly, I respectfully urge my colleagues to support the Bereaved Consumer’s Bill of Rights Act.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Technorati Tags: bereaved consumers bill of rights act, bereaved consumers protection act, bill of rights, bobby rush, Burr Oak Cemetery, cemetery, congressman, consumer rights, disclosures, ftc, funeral, funeral industry, Funeral News, funeral rule, HR 3655, preneed, Scandal, us house of representatives

National Funeral Directors Association is supporting the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act|but…YourFuneralguy

Your Funeral Guy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:55:30 +0000

The National Funeral Directors Association has sent a letter to Congressman’s Bobby Rush’s Office supporting the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights act- but there is a problem. There desire is sure enough, the National Funeral Directors wants cemeteries and some Third parties to come be brought by Congress into supporting H.R. 3655 but there is catch-their public statements in support of the funeral rule, do not match their public policy of Funeral Rule Elimination.

Congress Has proposed H.R.3655 Cemetery Reform

In other words they are all for the Funeral Rule applying to some one else but NOT to funeral Directors, who are their members.

The National Funeral Directors Association

(NFDA) is the major trade association to which
funeral directors belong.
Here are two quotes regarding The Funeral Rule
and NFDA’s public policy positions from the editor of
The Director, the official publication of NFDA, as
published in The Director in May, 2007.
“…this organization [NFDA] continues to
fight the FTC Funeral Rule through its public
policy positions.”
And,
“… it [NFDA] has also long had a Funeral
Rule elimination policy on the books.”

National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and the Funeral Rule©from “Rest in Peace Insiders Tips to the Low Cost Less Funeral©” by R.Brian Burkhardt”-Yourfuneral Guy

The comments on there facebook support this fact, funeral director a calling for Elimination of the Funeral Rule, a detriment to all funeral consumers in the consumers in the Land

Here is a partial quote from the letter:

“The letter states: “In our view, H.R. 3655 outlines for the FTC a rule which we have long argued was necessary, given a dramatically changed marketplace, with new and non-traditional sellers, many more choices for consumers to purchase funeral or burial goods or services, and the risks they take in dealing with them in a lightly, or even unregulated environment… We recognize that the most egregious scandals involving Burr Oak, Menorah Gardens and Tri-State Crematory would not necessarily have been prevented by such a rule. However, with uniform federal practice and disclosure standards, the regulatory and compliance bar will be raised for both state regulators and for cemetery and crematory owners and operators, as well as other sellers of funeral or burial goods or services… NFDA stands ready to support any and all efforts to have H.R. 3655 signed into law.”via www.facebook.com

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

This bill will help the Consumer come in under the average cost of the Funeral.

Technorati Tags: average cost of a funeral, bereaved consumers bill of rights act, Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act of 2009, blog, bobby rush, Burr Oak Cemetery, congressman, funeral industry, H.R.3655, HR 3655, Menorah Gardens, National funeral directors association, NFDA, Tri state crematory

Texas Representative to Hold Health Care Town Hall in Funeral Home-YourFuneralGuy.

Your Funeral Guy — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:00:06 +0000

A Texas Representative for the House of Representatives has scheduled a Health Care Town Meeting in a Funeral Home. Ted Poe is a conservative congressman.

From:www.hcnonline.com

“Rep. Ted Poe will hold a town hall meeting at Brookside Funeral Home on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. with the primary focusing being health care reform.

Brookside Funeral Home is located at 3410 FM 1960, Houston.”

From the Congressman’s Website in a speech on the the Floor of the US House of Representatives.

“Mr. Speaker, when government runs health care, senior citizens sometimes are refused treatment because of their age. In Sweden, an 83-year-old woman was refused medical surgery by the government-run hospital. They said she was just too old for treatment. Marianne Skogh had pain and numbness in her legs for 5 years. She waited more than a year trying to get approval for back surgery to cure the problem. She was rejected by the government”

No matter what side of the issue you are on it is a creative stunt (Health Care Town Hall in a Funeral Home) that should be applauded. Will there be a funeral for our health care system or the health care bill? Or both?

Funeral Industry| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Technorati Tags: blog, congressman, funeral, funeral home, funeral industry, health care, health care bill, health care reform, reform, senior citizens, Ted Poe, Texas, town hall, us house of representatives