H. R. 3392
One Hundred Seventh Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
the third day of January, two thousand and one
An Act
To name the national cemetery in Saratoga, New York, as the Gerald B.H. Solomon
Saratoga National Cemetery, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Gerald Brooks Hunt ‘‘Jerry’’ Solomon of Glens Falls,
New York, served in the House of Representatives for 10 terms,
from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1999, and during that
service gained a reputation for being outspoken and tenacious
in presenting his views on a wide range of issues.
(2) Congressman Solomon was born in Okeechobee, Florida,
and grew up there during the Great Depression before moving
to New York in 1945.
(3) Congressman Solomon enlisted in the United States
Marine Corps at the onset of the Korean War and served
in the Marine Corps for 81⁄2 years on active and reserve duty.
(4) Before being elected to Congress in 1978, Congressman
Solomon was a businessman in Glens Falls, New York.
(5) During his 20-year congressional career, Congressman
Solomon served as the ranking Republican on the Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs, where he was recognized by the veterans
community as one of its strongest advocates. Among his other
accomplishments for veterans, Congressman Solomon spear-
headed the effort to create the Cabinet-level Department of
Veterans Affairs and successfully led a 15-year drive to estab-
lish the Saratoga National Cemetery in Saratoga, New York,
where he is now interred.
(6) Congressman Solomon was also recognized for his
efforts to promote pride, patriotism, and volunteerism, and
when the Supreme Court ruled that laws prohibiting the
burning of the United States flag were unconstitutional, Con-
gressman Solomon was given the assignment to pass a constitu-
tional amendment to prohibit desecration of the flag. The Sol-
omon Amendment passed overwhelmingly in the House, but
failed by one vote in the Senate.
(7) As chairman of the Committee on Rules of the House
of Representatives, Congressman Solomon revamped the rules
under which the House operates, abolishing proxy voting,
opening all meetings to the media and the public, and making
Congress subject to the same laws that the American people
live under.
H. R. 3392—2
(8) During his congressional career, Congressman Solomon
was the recipient of dozens of major awards from many national
veterans organizations, including the coveted ‘‘Iron Mike
Award’’, presented to him by the Marine Corps and Marine
Corps League, and the Distinguished Citizen Award, presented
to him by the National Congressional Medal of Honor Society
for his legislative successes on behalf of the United States
military and veterans issues.
SEC. 2. NAME OF THE NATIONAL CEMETERY IN SARATOGA, NEW YORK.
(a) NAME.—The national cemetery located in Saratoga, New
York, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known
and designated as the ‘‘Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National
Cemetery’’. Any reference to such national cemetery in any law,
regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United
States shall be considered to be a reference to the ‘‘Gerald B.H.
Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery’’.
(b) MEMORIAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide
for the placement in the national cemetery referred to in subsection
(a) of a suitable memorial to honor the memory of Gerald B.H.
Solomon and his service to the United States.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.