I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4044 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to restore plot allowance eligibility for veterans of any war and 
to restore the headstone or marker allowance for eligible persons. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 
Ms. BERKLEY (for herself, Mr. FILNER, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 
HALL of New York, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. NYE, Mr. HARE, 
Mr. TEAGUE, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Mr. 
MOORE of Kansas, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. SPACE, Mr. GRAY-
SON, Mr. WU, Mr. DRIEHAUS, Ms. TITUS, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN-
SON of Texas, Ms. WATSON, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. ADLER of New Jersey, 
Mr. SCHAUER, Mr. MURPHY of New York, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of 
California, Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. 
MCNERNEY, Mr. CARDOZA, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona, Ms. KIL-
PATRICK of Michigan, and Mr. SARBANES) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to restore plot allowance eligi-
bility for veterans of any war and to restore the head-
stone or marker allowance for eligible persons. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
19:40 Nov 07, 2009
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4044.IH
H4044
PWALKER on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. RESTORATION OF VETERAN PLOT ALLOWANCE 
ELIGIBILITY AND HEADSTONE OR MARKER 
ALLOWANCE. 
(a) RESTORATION
OF PLOT ALLOWANCE ELIGI-
BILITY FOR VETERANS OF ANY WAR.—Section 2303(b) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘subsection (a) of this section’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘and who’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘subsection (a), in the case of a veteran who 
is eligible for a burial allowance under such sub-
section or under section 2302 of this title, who was 
discharged from the active military, naval, or air 
service for a disability incurred or aggravated in the 
line of duty, or who is a veteran of any war and’’; 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘is eligible for a burial al-
lowance under section 2302 of this title or 
under subsection (a) of this section, or was dis-
charged from the active military, naval, or air 
service for a disability incurred or aggravated in 
line of duty, and such veteran’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘clause (1) of this sub-
section’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)’’. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
19:40 Nov 07, 2009
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4044.IH
H4044
PWALKER on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with BILLS
(b) RESTORATION OF HEADSTONE OR MARKER AL-
LOWANCE.— 
(1) ALLOWANCE.—Section 2306 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(h) In lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker 
under subsection (a)(2) or (b), the Secretary, in the Sec-
retary’s discretion, having due regard for the cir-
cumstances in each case, may reimburse the person enti-
tled to request such headstone or marker for the cost of 
acquiring a non-Government headstone or marker for 
placement in any cemetery other than a national cemetery 
in connection with the burial or memorialization of the de-
ceased individual.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (g) 
of such section is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) Reimbursement may not be provided under sub-
section (h) for the cost of acquiring a non-Government 
headstone or marker in connection with the burial or me-
morialization of a person described in section 2411(b) of 
this title.’’. 
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—Subsection (a) of 
such section is amended by moving the margin of 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
19:40 Nov 07, 2009
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4044.IH
H4044
PWALKER on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with BILLS
each of paragraphs (1) through (5) by two ems to 
the right. 
(4) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection shall apply with respect to deaths 
occurring on or after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
19:40 Nov 07, 2009
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4044.IH
H4044
PWALKER on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with BILLS