As a person of faith, I am voicing my support for HR 3655, the Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act of 2009. Having evaluated funeral homes and crematories for compliance with the Funeral Rule as a funeral consumer advocate, I see nothing in the Rule that would impede the ministerial aims of a religious cemetery. The aim of the Funeral Rule, which HR 3655 would extend to cemeteries, is to make the pricing of funeral goods and services transparent, to prevent false and misleading assertions, and to support the consumer’s right to choose only those goods and services he or she wants. What’s threatening to any religious organization about those aims? I would think in fact that compassionate religious organizations would be especially sympathetic to the need of families who are vulnerable at the time of a loved one’s death.
