108TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3936

AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorposes. to the Pentagon Reservation, and for other pur- by the United States that is part of or proximate and should be located, if feasible, at a site owned be provided for that Court and those it serves Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center should expressing the sense of Congress that a dedicated rather than only in the District of Columbia, and tion in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, of Appeals for Veterans Claims to be at any loca- ize the principal office of the United States Court

108TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3936

AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the

principal office of the United States Court of Appeals

for Veterans Claims to be at any location in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, rather than only in the

District of Columbia, and expressing the sense of Congress that a dedicated Veterans Courthouse and Justice

Center should be provided for that Court and those it

serves and should be located, if feasible, at a site owned

by the United States that is part of or proximate to

the Pentagon Reservation, and for other purposes.
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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF UNITED STATES COURT

4 OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS.

5 Section 7255 of title 38, United States Code, is

6 amended by striking ‘‘District of Columbia’’ and inserting

7 ‘‘Washington, D.C., metropolitan area’’.

8 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING

9 NEW VETERANS COURTHOUSE AND JUSTICE

10 CENTER.

11 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find12 ings:

13 (1) Every Article I court of the United States

14 other than the United States Court of Appeals for

15 Veterans Claims is located in a dedicated court16 house.

17 (2) The United States Court of Appeals for

18 Veterans Claims has since its creation in 1988 been

19 located in a commercial office building in the Dis20 trict of Columbia.

21 (3) That court should be housed in a dedicated

22 courthouse, as are all other Article I courts.

23 (4) A dedicated courthouse for that court con24 stituting a Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center

25 would express the gratitude and respect of the Na-
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1 tion for the sacrifices of those serving and those who

2 have served in the Armed Forces, and their families.

3 (5) Location of such a courthouse and judicial

4 center in an area proximate to the Pentagon, Arling5 ton National Cemetery, and the Air Force Memorial

6 (as planned) in Arlington, Virginia would be sym7 bolically significant of the high esteem that the Na8 tion holds for its veterans.

9 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con10 gress that—

11 (1) a dedicated Veterans Courthouse and Jus12 tice Center should be provided for the United States

13 Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and

14 (2) the Secretary of Defense, in cooperation

15 with the United States Court of Appeals for Vet16 erans Claims, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and

17 the Administrator of General Services, should deter18 mine the feasibility of locating such a Veterans

19 Courthouse and Justice Center at an appropriate

20 site owned by the United States that is part of or

21 proximate to the Pentagon Reservation in Arlington,

22 Virginia.

23 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date

24 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense,

25 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Administrator
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1 of General Services shall submit to the Committees on

2 Veterans’ Affairs and the Committees on Armed Services

3 of the Senate and House of Representatives a joint report

4 on the feasibility of locating a new Veterans Courthouse

5 and Justice Center at an appropriate site owned by the

6 United States that is part of or proximate to the Pentagon

7 Reservation in Arlington, Virginia.

Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2004.

Attest:

Clerk.