I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 695

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AUGUST 5, 1999

Referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

AN ACT

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish

a national cemetery for veterans in various locations

in the United States, 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,
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1 SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs

3 shall establish, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38,

4 United States Code, the following:

5 (1) A national cemetery in the Atlanta, Geor6 gia, metropolitan area to serve the needs of veterans

7 and their families.

8 (2) A national cemetery in Southwestern Penn9 sylvania to serve the needs of veterans and their

10 families.

11 (3) A national cemetery in the Miami, Florida,

12 metropolitan area to serve the needs of veterans and

13 their families.

14 (4) A national cemetery in the Detroit, Michi15 gan, metropolitan area to serve the needs of veterans

16 and their families.

17 (5) A national cemetery in the Sacramento,

18 California, metropolitan area to serve the needs of

19 veterans and their families.

20 (b) CONSULTATION IN SELECTION OF SITES.—Be21 fore selecting the sites for the national cemeteries to be

22 established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall con23 sult with—

24 (1) in the case of the national cemetery to be

25 established under paragraph (1) of that subsection,

26 appropriate officials of the State of Georgia and ap-
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1 propriate officials of local governments in the At2 lanta, Georgia, metropolitan area;

3 (2) in the case of the national cemetery to be

4 established under paragraph (2) of that subsection,

5 appropriate officials of the State of Pennsylvania

6 and appropriate officials of local governments in

7 Southwestern Pennsylvania;

8 (3) in the case of the national cemetery to be

9 established under paragraph (3) of that subsection,

10 appropriate officials of the State of Florida and ap11 propriate officials of local governments in the Miami,

12 Florida, metropolitan area;

13 (4) in the case of the national cemetery to be

14 established under paragraph (4) of that subsection,

15 appropriate officials of the State of Michigan and

16 appropriate officials of local governments in the De17 troit, Michigan, metropolitan area;

18 (5) in the case of the national cemetery to be

19 established under paragraph (5) of that subsection,

20 appropriate officials of the State of California and

21 appropriate officials of local governments in the Sac22 ramento, California, metropolitan area; and

23 (6) appropriate officials of the United States,

24 including the Administrator of General Services,

25 with respect to land belonging to the United States
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1 that would be suitable as a location for the establish2 ment of each such national cemetery.

3 (c) REPORT.—As soon as practicable after the date

4 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit

5 to Congress a report on the establishment of the national

6 cemeteries under subsection (a). The report shall set forth

7 a schedule for the establishment of each such cemetery

8 and an estimate of the costs associated with the establish9 ment of each such cemetery.

10 SEC. 2. USE OF FLAT GRAVE MARKERS.

11 (a) AUTHORITY TO USE FLAT GRAVE MARKERS AT

12 SANTA FE NATIONAL CEMETERY.—Notwithstanding sec13 tion 2404(c)(2) of title 38, United States Code, the Sec14 retary of Veterans Affairs may provide for flat grave

15 markers at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico.

16 (b) REPORT COMPARING USE OF FLAT GRAVE

17 MARKERS AND UPRIGHT GRAVE MARKERS.—(1) Not

18 later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this

19 Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the

20 Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the

21 House of Representatives a report assessing the advan22 tages and disadvantages of the use by the National Ceme23 tery Administration of flat grave markers and upright

24 grave markers.
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1 (2) The report under paragraph (1) shall set forth

2 the advantages and disadvantages of the use of each type

3 of grave marker referred to in that paragraph, and shall

4 include criteria to be utilizing in determining whether to

5 prefer the use of one such type of grave marker over the

6 other.

Passed the Senate August 4, 1999.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.