I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1413 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand or otherwise modify 

an existing national cemetery to ensure that full military honors are 

provided at such cemetery, to require the Secretary of Defense and 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly submit to Congress a report 

containing a proposal to increase national cemetery capacity and an 

assessment of the criteria for interment at Arlington National Cemetery, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 7, 2023 

Mrs. MCCLAIN (for herself, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. JACKSON of North Carolina, 

Ms. ROSS, and Mr. WITTMAN) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the 

Committee on Armed Services, 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 require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand or 

otherwise modify an existing national cemetery to ensure 

that full military honors are provided at such cemetery, 

to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 

of Veterans Affairs to jointly submit to Congress a report 

containing a proposal to increase national cemetery capacity and an assessment of the criteria for interment 

at Arlington National Cemetery, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 1413 IH

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 ‘‘Expanding America’s 

5 National Cemetery Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF EXISTING NATIONAL CEMETERY 

7 TO CONTINUE PROVISION OF FULL MILITARY 

8 HONORS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Before Arlington National Ceme10 tery reaches capacity, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

11 shall expand or otherwise modify a national cemetery de12 scribed in subsection (b) to ensure that full military hon13 ors are provided at such cemetery— 

14 (1) in a manner that is consistent with the full 

15 military honors provided for interment in Arlington 

16 National Cemetery as of March 31, 2023; and 

17 (2) using the eligibility criteria in effect as of 

18 March 31, 2023, for providing full military honors 

19 for interment in Arlington National Cemetery. 

20 (b) NATIONAL CEMETERY DESCRIBED.—A national 

21 cemetery described in this subsection is a national ceme22 tery that is— 

23 (1) in use as of the date of the enactment of 

24 this Act; and 


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•HR 1413 IH

1 (2) under the control of the National Cemetery 

2 Administration. 

3 SEC. 3. REPORT ON CRITERIA FOR INTERMENT IN ARLING4 TON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND PROPOSAL 

5 TO INCREASE NATIONAL CEMETERY CAPAC6 ITY. 

7 Not later than one year after the date of the enact8 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Sec9 retary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to Congress 

10 a report that contains each of the following: 

11 (1) A proposal to increase national cemetery ca12 pacity through the expansion or modification of a 

13 national cemetery described in section 2(b) that has, 

14 or will have, the capacity to provide full military 

15 honors. 

16 (2) The assessment of the Secretary of Defense, 

17 in consultation with the Secretary of the Army, with 

18 respect to any revisions that should be made to the 

19 revised criteria for interment in Arlington National 

20 Cemetery prescribed pursuant to section 598 of the 

21 John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act 

22 for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 38 

23 U.S.C. 2402 note) in order to ensure that such cri24 teria recognize exceptional service and honors. 


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•HR 1413 IH

1 (3) An assessment of how the revised criteria 

2 described in paragraph (2) will affect— 

3 (A) women; 

4 (B) veterans who served in non-combat oc5 cupations as members of the Armed Forces; 

6 (C) veterans who did not serve in combat 

7 as members of the Armed Forces; and 

8 (D) such other groups as the Secretaries 

9 consider relevant. 

Æ 


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