II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5455 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program for 

the construction and renovation of committal shelters at State-owned 

veterans’ cemeteries, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 9, 2024 

Mr. MANCHIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a program for the construction and renovation of committal shelters at State-owned veterans’ 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 ‘‘Hershel ‘Woody’ Wil5 liams State Committal Shelter Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. COMMITTAL STRUCTURES AT STATE-OWNED VET2 ERANS’ CEMETERIES. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap4 propriations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 

5 out a program for the construction or renovation of com6 mittal shelters at State-owned veterans’ cemeteries to en7 sure attendees of burial services at such cemeteries are 

8 protected from inclement weather (in this section referred 

9 to as the ‘‘program’’). 

10 (b) SOLICITATION OF APPLICATIONS.—Not later 

11 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

12 the Secretary shall solicit applications from States for par13 ticipation in the program. 

14 (c) SELECTION OF CEMETERIES.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

16 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec17 retary shall select, on a competitive basis, three 

18 State-owned veterans’ cemeteries for participation in 

19 the program. 

20 (2) CRITERIA.— 

21 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each cemetery selected 

22 by the Secretary for participation in the pro23 gram shall be located in an area with drastic 

24 variation in annual temperature and weather 

25 patterns. 


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1 (B) APPALACHIA.—One cemetery selected 

2 by the Secretary for participation in the pro3 gram shall be located in a State in which each 

4 county of that State is served by the Appa5 lachian Regional Commission. 

6 (3) PRIORITY.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—In selecting cemeteries 

8 for participation in the program, the Secretary 

9 shall prioritize cemeteries based on relative 

10 demonstrated need, as determined by the Sec11 retary. 

12 (B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In making a de13 termination under subparagraph (A), the Sec14 retary may consider— 

15 (i) the number of veterans’ families 

16 served by a cemetery; and 

17 (ii) the relative severity of weather at 

18 a cemetery. 

19 (d) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary 

20 shall carry out the program by entering into a cooperative 

21 agreement (as described in section 6305 of title 31, United 

22 States Code) with each cemetery selected for participation 

23 in the program. 

24 (e) COMMITTAL SHELTERS.—At each cemetery se25 lected for participation in the program, the Secretary shall 


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1 construct one or more new committal shelters, or renovate 

2 one or more existing committal shelters, so that each such 

3 shelter— 

4 (1) is fully enclosed; and 

5 (2) has heating, ventilation, air conditioning, 

6 and restroom services necessary for hosting not 

7 more than 50 individuals. 

8 (f) COST SHARE REQUIREMENT.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The share of the cost of the 

10 construction or renovation of a committal shelter 

11 under the program shall be as follows: 

12 (A) 50 percent Federal funds, subject to 

13 paragraph (2). 

14 (B) 50 percent funds provided by State or 

15 local governments, nonprofit organizations, or 

16 private entities. 

17 (2) FEDERAL MAXIMUM.— 

18 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each cemetery partici19 pating in the program shall receive not more 

20 than $2,000,000 in Federal funds through the 

21 program. 

22 (B) TOTAL FEDERAL MAXIMUM.—The 

23 total Federal share of the cost of construction 

24 and renovation of all committal shelters under 

25 the program shall not exceed $5,000,000. 


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1 (g) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts obligated and ex2 pended by the Secretary under the program may be used 

3 for any activities that support the construction or renova4 tion of committal shelters at cemeteries participating in 

5 the program, including costs associated with compliance 

6 with laws (including regulations). 

7 (h) FUNDING.— 

8 (1) DERIVATION OF FUNDS.—Amounts to carry 

9 out the program, as provided in advance in appro10 priations Acts from amounts specifically appro11 priated to carry out the purposes of this Act, may 

12 be derived from amounts appropriated to carry out 

13 section 2408 of title 38, United States Code. 

14 (2) MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP.—The Federal 

15 Government shall not be required to provide any 

16 amounts for the maintenance or upkeep of any com17 mittal shelter after the termination of the coopera18 tive agreement concerned. 

19 (i) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall revise regu20 lations as necessary to carry out this section. 

Æ 


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