I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2586
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of veterans’
burial benefit paid for plot allowances, and to provide for the payment
to States of plot allowances for veterans eligible for burial in a national
cemetery who are buried in cemeteries of such States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 22, 1999
Ms. BROWN of Florida (for herself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. FILNER, Mr. SHOWS and
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the
amount of veterans’ burial benefit paid for plot allow-
ances, and to provide for the payment to States of plot
allowances for veterans eligible for burial in a national
cemetery who are buried in cemeteries of such States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Burial Plot
Allowance Improvement Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF PLOT ALLOWANCE BEN-
EFIT; EXPANSION OF PLOT ALLOWANCE BEN-
EFIT ELIGIBILITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2303(b) of title 38,
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b)(1) In addition to the benefits provided for under
section 2302 of this title and subsection (a), for a veteran
who is not buried in a national cemetery or other cemetery
under the jurisdiction of the United States, the Secretary
shall pay a plot or interment allowance as follows:
‘‘(A) In the case of a veteran who is eligible for
burial in a national cemetery under section 2402 of
this title who is buried (without charge for the cost
of a plot or interment) in a cemetery, or a section
of a cemetery, that (i) is used solely for the inter-
ment of persons eligible for burial in a national cem-
etery, and (ii) is owned by a State or by an agency
or political subdivision of a State, the Secretary shall
pay to such State, agency, or political subdivision
the sum of $300 as a plot or interment allowance for
such veteran.
‘‘(B)(i) In the case of a veteran described in
clause (ii) who is buried in a cemetery, or a section
of a cemetery, other than as described in subpara-
graph (A), the Secretary shall pay a sum not exceed-
ing $300 as a plot or interment allowance to such
person as the Secretary prescribes, except that if
any part of the plot or interment costs of a burial
to which this subparagraph applies has been paid or
assumed by a State, an agency or political subdivi-
sion of a State, or a former employer of the de-
ceased veteran, no claim for such allowance shall be
allowed for more than the difference between the en-
tire amount of the expenses incurred and the
amount paid or assumed by any or all of the fore-
going entities.
‘‘(ii) A veteran referred to in clause (i) is a vet-
eran eligible for a burial allowance under section
2302 of this title, or under subsection (a), who was
discharged from the active military, naval, or air
service for a disability incurred or aggravated in line
of duty.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act and apply with respect to individuals
dying on or after such date.
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