Duff Fires Salvo at Proposal to Eliminate Rifle Salutes at Vets' Funerals

HARTFORD, CT — Legislators from both chambers, from both sides of the political aisle and at both ends of the state on Friday fired a salvo at a plan to effectively eliminate sanctioned rifle salutes at veterans funerals.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-25, and State Rep. Timothy Ackert, R-8th District, then called on Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the General Assembly to fully fund the Connecticut Honor Guard.

“When Connecticut veterans are laid to rest they must continue to receive the honors they deserve,” Duff said. “I will continue to fight for this important component of their final respects. This funding represents a small amount in the overall budget; however, the honor guards play a large role in demonstrating our appreciation of our veterans’ service.”

The Connecticut State Military Department recently proposed a budget that would eliminate rifle salutes at military funerals, Ackert and Duff said.

“Cutting funeral services for our veterans is not only unnecessary, but it is also morally wrong,” Ackert said. “Instead of making long-term structural changes to the state’s budget, the governor and majority legislative democrats continue to make short-sighted budgetary decisions that impact people that deserve services the most. The governor is already starting off the New Year on the wrong foot, and I would hope that he would rethink making these cuts that benefit our brave men and women who have served our country and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Earlier this year, Malloy’s budget chief, Benjamin Barnes, ordered state department heads to submit their budget proposals with a 10 percent cut. The governor and the General Assembly will have to tackle a growing biennial budget deficit, which has reached about $3.5 billion, but not while sacrificing the Honor Guard, Ackert and Duff said.

They said the state could easily fund the roughly $326,000 budget line that covers the funeral services.

“House and Senate Republicans have proposed budgets year-after-year that have funded critical services without the need for reckless cuts or tax increases,” Ackert said. “We need to be part of the budget talks this year. Connecticut residents voted for balance in Hartford this November, and they deserve a General Assembly and a governor that will work together to come up with solutions that we can all agree on.”

The General Assembly is set to begin the 2017 legislative session on Jan. 4.

In 2015, Duff and the Senate Democrats successfully led opposition to a similar plan.

Photo Credit: Tim Jensen