Title: Special Guerrilla Unit Veterans Service Recognition Expansion Act of 2021
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Special Guerrilla Unit Veterans Service Recognition Expansion Act of 2021
This bill expands eligibility for internment in national cemeteries to include certain individuals who the Department of Veterans Affairs determines served honorably with a special guerilla unit or irregular forces in Laos in support of the U.S. Armed Forces between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975. Such individuals are eligible if, at the time of their death, they resided in the United States and were a U.S. citizen or alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2969 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2969

 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 era, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2021

Mr. Costa (for himself, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Grothman, Ms. 
 Speier, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Craig, Mr. Emmer, Mr. Ryan, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
 Fitzpatrick, and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill; which was 
             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 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 ``Special Guerrilla Unit Veterans 
Service Recognition Expansion Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR INTERNMENT IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 2402(a)(10) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
        or''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(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 amendments made by this section shall have 
effect as if included in the enactment of section 251(a) of title II of 
the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2018 (division J of Public Law 115-141; 132 Stat. 
824).
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