I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2076

To further the protection and recognition of veterans’ memorials, to amend 

title 38, United States Code, to provide for grants to repair veterans 

memorials, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 13, 2003

Mr. JOHN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary 

and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL

To further the protection and recognition of veterans’ memorials, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide 

for grants to repair veterans memorials, and for other 

purposes.

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Memorial 

5 Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR DESTRUCTION OF VET2 ERANS’ MEMORIALS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 65 of title 18, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing: 

6 ‘‘§ 1369. Destruction of veterans’ memorials 

7 ‘‘(a) Whoever, in a circumstance described in sub8 section (b), willfully injures or destroys, or attempts to in9 jure or destroy, any structure, plaque, statue, or other 

10 monument on public property commemorating the service 

11 of any person or persons in the armed forces of the United 

12 States shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more 

13 than 10 years, or both. 

14 ‘‘(b) A circumstance described in this subsection is 

15 that—

16 ‘‘(1) in committing the offense described in sub17 section (a), the defendant travels or causes another 

18 to travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or uses 

19 the mail or an instrumentality of interstate or for20 eign commerce; or 

21 ‘‘(2) the structure, plaque, statue, or other 

22 monument described in subsection (a) is located on 

23 property owned by, or under the jurisdiction of, the 

24 Federal Government.’’. 
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1 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

2 at the beginning of chapter 65 of title 18, United States 

3 Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘1369. Destruction of veterans’ memorials.’’.

4 SEC. 3. HIGHWAY SIGNS RELATING TO VETERANS CEME5 TERIES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the terms of any 

7 agreement entered into by the Secretary of Transportation 

8 and a State under section 109(d) or 402(a) of title 23, 

9 United States Code, a veterans cemetery shall be treated 

10 as a site for which a supplemental guide sign may be 

11 placed on any Federal-aid highway. 

12 (b) APPLICABILITY.—Subsection (a) shall apply to an 

13 agreement entered into before, on, or after the date of the 

14 enactment of this Act. 

15 SEC. 4. GRANTS TO REPAIR VETERANS MEMORIALS. 

16 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.—Chapter 

17 24 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 

18 at the end the following new section: 

19 ‘‘§ 2412. Grants to repair memorials 

20 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.—Sub21 ject to the succeeding provisions of this section, the Sec22 retary may make grants to a State or a qualified organiza23 tion for the purpose of repairing or restoring a covered 

24 memorial. 
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1 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION.—A grant under this section may 

2 be made only upon submission of an application to the 

3 Secretary in such form and manner, and containing such 

4 information, as the Secretary may require. 

5 ‘‘(c) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—(1) The amount of a 

6 grant under this section may not exceed 50 percent of the 

7 cost of the repair or restoration of the covered memorial, 

8 as determined by the Secretary. 

9 ‘‘(2) The recipient of the grant shall contribute the 

10 excess of the aggregate costs of the repair of the covered 

11 memorial over the grant. 

12 ‘‘(3) If a recipient of a grant under this section uses 

13 any part of the funds provided through such grant for a 

14 purpose other than that for which the grant was made, 

15 the United States shall be entitled to recover from such 

16 recipient the total of all grants made under this section 

17 to such recipient in connection with the repair or restora18 tion of the covered memorial. 

19 ‘‘(d) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—Sums received pursu20 ant to a grant in this section shall be used for the sole 

21 purpose of repairing or restoring a covered memorial. 

22 ‘‘(e) STANDARDS.—A repair or restoration of a cov23 ered memorial under a grant under this section shall con24 form to such standards and guidelines as the Secretary 

25 may by regulation prescribe. 
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1 ‘‘(f) ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The 

2 Secretary may by regulation prescribe such additional 

3 terms and conditions for grants under this section as the 

4 Secretary considers appropriate. 

5 ‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

6 ‘‘(1) The term ‘qualified organization’ means 

7 any organization described in section 5902(a) of this 

8 title. 

9 ‘‘(2) The term ‘covered memorial’ means a me10 morial or monument that the Secretary determines 

11 commemorates the service in the Armed Forces of 

12 an individual, or group of individuals, or a particular 

13 military event, but does not include any memorial or 

14 monument under the administrative jurisdiction of 

15 the Secretary of the Interior. 

16 ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—(1) 

17 There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 

18 be necessary for fiscal year 2004 and for each succeeding 

19 fiscal year through fiscal year 2008 for the purpose of 

20 making grants under subsection (a). 

21 ‘‘(2) Sums appropriated under paragraph (1) of this 

22 section shall remain available until expended. If all funds 

23 from a grant under this section have not been utilized by 

24 a recipient for the purpose for which the grant was made 

25 within three years after such grant is made, the United 
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1 States shall be entitled to recover any such unused grant 

2 funds from such recipient.’’. 

3 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

4 at the beginning of chapter 24 of title 38, United States 

5 Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘2412. Grants to repair memorials.’’.

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