I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1516

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery 

for veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 31, 2003

Mr. GERLACH (for himself and Mr. HOEFFEL) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 

national cemetery for veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 The Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) The metropolitan Philadelphia area is home 

6 to over 340,000 veterans and their families. 

7 (2) The Philadelphia National Cemetery is 

8 closed to all but cremated remains. 

9 (3) The Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in 

10 Lebanon County, Pennsylvania is the only prac-
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1 ticable inground burial alternative for many veterans 

2 and their families. 

3 (4) The trip to the Indiantown Gap National 

4 Cemetery can be very difficult for many widows, 

5 widowers, and other family members from the Phila6 delphia area who wish to visit the graves of their 

7 loved ones. 

8 (5) Almost 290,000 veterans in the Philadel9 phia area live at least 65 miles away from the 

10 Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. 

11 (6) It is in the national interest to establish a 

12 new national cemetery in southeast Pennsylvania. 

13 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than four years after 

15 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

16 Veterans Affairs shall establish, in accordance with chap17 ter 24 of title 38, United States Code, a national cemetery 

18 in southeastern Pennsylvania to serve the needs of vet19 erans and their families. 

20 (b) CONSULTATION IN SELECTION OF SITE.—Before 

21 selecting the site for the national cemetery established 

22 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with—

23 (1) appropriate officials of the State of Penn24 sylvania and local officials of southeastern Pennsyl25 vania, 
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1 (2) appropriate officials of the United States, 

2 including the Administrator of General Services, 

3 with respect to land belonging to the United States 

4 in that area, including land at the Valley Forge Na5 tional Historic Park, that would be suitable for the 

6 purpose of establishing the national cemetery under 

7 subsection (a); and 

8 (3) representatives of veterans service organiza9 tions. 

10 The Governor of the State of Pennsylvania may establish 

11 a blue-ribbon panel consisting of officials of the State and 

12 local governments and representatives of veterans service 

13 organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania to make a rec14 ommendation to the Secretary in the selection of the site. 

15 If such a panel is established, not later than 1 year after 

16 the date of the enactment of this Act, the chair of the 

17 panel shall submit to the Secretary a final recommenda18 tion for the site of the national cemetery and an estimate 

19 of the acquisition costs, if any, of the site. 

20 (c) REPORT.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), not later 

21 than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

22 the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 

23 establishment of the national cemetery under subsection 

24 (a). The report shall set forth a schedule for such estab-
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1 lishment and an estimate of the costs associated with such 

2 establishment. 

3 (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the Governor 

4 of the State of Pennsylvania submits notice to the Sec5 retary of Veterans Affairs of the establishment of the blue6 ribbon panel under subsection (b) within 60 days of the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub8 mit the report required under paragraph (1) not later than 

9 6 months after the date of receipt of the final rec10 ommendation of the panel. 

11 (d) DEFINITION OF SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYL12 VANIA.—In this section, the term ‘‘southeastern Pennsyl13 vania’’ means—

14 (1) the city of Philadelphia; and 

15 (2) the following counties in the State of Penn16 sylvania: 

17 (A) Berks. 

18 (B) Bucks. 

19 (C) Chester. 

20 (D) Delaware. 

21 (E) Philadelphia. 

22 (F) Montgomery.

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