By Bill Raack, St. Louis Public Radio
ST. LOUIS – Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said that it's time to pass legislation aimed at fixing the problems at Arlington National Cemetery.
McCaskill chaired a hearing in July on Arlington, when it was learned that as many as 6,600 graves could be unmarked or mislabeled. She said news today about eight improperly marked urns have been discovered at the cemetery confirms that that Congress must act now.
"If we do not provide adequate oversight right now, when will we?" McCaskill said, "Is there a subject more important than making sure that those we should honor the most are in fact being treated with the kind of dignity and respect they deserve, rather than just being thrown in a gravesite that says 'unknown'?"
McCaskill said that she'll ask for a vote on her bill Saturday. The legislation would change the organizational structure at Arlington and make management there more accountable to Congress.