Title: Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act
This bill authorizes burial in any open national cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration of the remains of any individual: (1) who was naturalized pursuant to the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000 and who resided in the United States at the time of death; or (2) who the Department of Veterans Affairs determines served honorably with a special guerrilla unit or irregular forces operating from a base in Laos in support of the U.S. Armed Forces between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, and who, at the time of death, resided in the United States and was a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1179 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1179

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries individuals who 
supported the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War era, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 18, 2017

     Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Franken, Ms. Baldwin, and Mrs. Feinstein) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries individuals who 
supported the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War era, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR INTERMENT IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 2402(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(10) Any individual--
                    ``(A) who--
                            ``(i) was naturalized pursuant to section 
                        2(1) of the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act 
                        of 2000 (Public Law 106-207; 8 U.S.C. 1423 
                        note); and
                            ``(ii) at the time of the individual's 
                        death resided in the United States; or
                    ``(B) who--
                            ``(i) the Secretary determines served 
                        honorably with a special guerrilla unit or 
                        irregular forces operating from a base in Laos 
                        in support of the Armed Forces of the United 
                        States at any time during the period beginning 
                        February 28, 1961, and ending May 7, 1975; and
                            ``(ii) at the time of the individual's 
                        death--
                                    ``(I) was a citizen of the United 
                                States or an alien lawfully admitted 
                                for permanent residence in the United 
                                States; and
                                    ``(II) resided in the United 
                                States.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to an individual dying on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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