I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2696 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase assistance for veterans 

interred in cemeteries other than national cemeteries, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2007 

Mr. LAMBORN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase assistance 

for veterans interred in cemeteries other than national 

cemeteries, 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’ Dignified 

5 Burial Assistance Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS IN7 TERRED IN CEMETERIES OTHER THAN NA8 TIONAL CEMETERIES. 

9 (a) INCREASE IN PLOT OR INTERMENT ALLOW10 ANCE.—Section 2303(b) of title 38, United States Code, 


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1 is amended by striking ‘‘$300’’ each place it appears and 

2 inserting ‘‘$400’’. 

3 (b) REPEAL OF TIME LIMITATION FOR STATE FIL4 ING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR INTERMENT COSTS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The second sentence of sec6 tion 3.1604(d)(2) of title 38, Code of Federal Regu7 lations, shall have no further force or effect as it 

8 pertains to unclaimed remains of a deceased veteran. 

9 (2) RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.—Paragraph 

10 (1) shall apply with respect to a claim for reimburse11 ment filed on or after October 1, 2006. 

12 (c) GRANTS FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF

13 STATE VETERANS’ CEMETERIES.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 

15 2408 of such title is amended to read as follows: 

16 ‘‘(a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may 

17 make grants to any State to assist the State in any of 

18 the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) Establishing, expanding, or improving a 

20 veterans’ cemetery owned by the State. 

21 ‘‘(B) Operating and maintaining such a ceme22 tery. 

23 ‘‘(2) Any such grant may be made only upon submis24 sion of an application to the Secretary in such form and 


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1 manner, and containing such information, as the Sec2 retary may require.’’. 

3 (2) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT AWARDED.—Sub4 section (e) of such section is amended— 

5 (A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Amounts’’; 

6 and 

7 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

8 paragraph: 

9 ‘‘(2) In any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of 

10 grants awarded under this section for the purposes speci11 fied in subsection (a)(1)(B) may not exceed $5,000,000.’’. 

12 (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section 

13 is further amended— 

14 (A) in subsection (b)— 

15 (i) by striking ‘‘Grants under this sec16 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘A grant under this 

17 section for the purposes described in sub18 section (a)(1)(A)’’; and 

19 (ii) by striking ‘‘a grant under this 

20 section’’ each place it appears and insert21 ing ‘‘such a grant’’; and 

22 (B) in each of subsections (d)(1) and 

23 (f)(1), by inserting ‘‘, or in operating and main24 taining a veterans’ cemetery,’’ after ‘‘veterans’ 

25 cemetery’’. 


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1 (4) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days 

2 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec3 retary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations 

4 to carry out the amendments made by this sub5 section. 

Æ 


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